First Time For Everything
by Dlbn
Summary: The relationships of Atsuki Saijo were full of firsts.
1. Liu Yee

Dlbn: Hey there, everyone, and welcome to my first story in this category! Lux Pain is one of my favorite video games, so I figure I better get off my arse and write for it. Here we go!

Disclaimer: I do not own Atsuki Saijo, Liu Yee, or Ray Platiére. They belong to Kilaware and the design team behind Lux Pain. I make NO money off of this work of fiction.

000

~First Meeting~

Recently recovering from his Lux-Pain implantation surgery, Atsuki Saijo wandered through the medical ward halls of FORT Headquarters. He kept his eyes-one onyx and one shimmering gold-on his bare, slow moving feet. Whispery silver bangs hid his vision, swaying slightly as he walked.

He slammed into another body, and heard a deep-throated grunt in response. Papers spilled to the floor.

"I'm sorry." Atsuki spoke quickly, bending down to help pick up the spilled documents.

"It's okay." An accented voice replied.

Both men reached for the same folder. Their fingers met and lingered. Atsuki's mismatched eyes shifted to the other man's. Cold, chocolate orbs met his. The man's raven-black hair was short and swept back. Atsuki felt his heart flutter in his chest. The man offered a small smile before pulling back.

"I'm Liu Yee." The Chinese man offered. "You?"

"A-Atsuki." He swallowed hard. "Atsuki Saijo."

"Nice to meet you, Atsuki-kun."

"Y-You too…"

Liu Yee smiled softly and stood. Eh ruffled Atsuki's hair as he left, making the teen's heart skip a beat. For once, being treated like a kid wasn't really a bad thing.

~First Kiss~

When Atsuki returned to the room he shared with his field partner, carrying an A+ evaluation, he wasn't expecting to feel a set of lips pressed to his. A tongue slipping into his mouth made him lose control and drop the evaluation to the floor. Strong, lithe arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer. Slowly, Atsuki's arms clasped around his neck, his left hand twisting into Liu Yee's short hair. Their tongues clashed and wrestled. Teeth clicked together as Atsuki let a moan slip out. Liu Yee drank in the sound as his hand slid to Atsuki's backside and gave it a light squeeze.

Both men were panting when they separated.

"Nice work on your evaluation, Atsuki-kun." Liu Yee complimented, pressing his forehead to the other's.

"T-Thank you…" Atsuki whispered back.

Liu Yee smirked. 'Do you think I could do that again…?"

Atsuki smiled back. "I'd like that…"

~First Time~

"Liu…" Atsuki moaned as the elder sigma user nibbled his neck and caressed him through his jeans.

Atsuki's left arm wrapped around Liu Yee's waist, his right hand sifting through the dark hair on the other's head. He arched off the bed towards his soon-to-be-lover. Ilu Yee moaned at the contact and pressed back, rotating his hips. Atsuki saw stars and threw his head back.

"Liu Yee…"

His lips detached for a moment. "Atsuki-kun…?" He wondered.

"I want you…"

The sound of a belt clicking open made it clear that Liu Yee knew what he meant.

~First Fight~

Atsuki had never felt this angry before. Mad, yes. Pissed off, of course. So angry he could rip Liu Yee's hair out of his scalp…? No.

"How could you be so cruel?" He snapped at his lover. "She could have made it, but no. You _had_ to kill her."

"Her infection was strong, Atsuki." Liu Yee spoke calmly. "She'd be re-infected in no time. It was more cruel to let her live."

"If I'd killed a couple cells, her chance of being infected again would've been reduced to practically nothing! You heard Nola!"

"You can't get so attached to your work. One day, it might get you killed."

~First Affair~

His name was Atai Fieura, and he was FORT's newest recruit. Stone-grey eyes stared at Atsuki through a curtain of burgundy-red hair. He smiled at Atsuki, flashing Titan: the small, silver sigma implant in his top left canine. Atsuki offered a weak smile back.

"Ray said to show you around." The more experienced agent said. "Come with me."

"Hai, Atsuki-sama." A deep voice replied from Atai's mouth.

Even to this day, Atsuki couldn't explain how this little conversation led to him being pressed into a wall in the storage closet; with an unfamiliar pair of lips attached to his.

~First Heartbreak~

Atsuki felt his heart fall to the ground and shatter quicker then he could process his three year lover's words. He bit back his tears and spoke with a quivering lower lip.

"W-Why…?"

"We fight _all the time_. It's beginning to interfere with our work…you had an affair with that blood haired rat…" Liu Yee's voice cracked.

"It was a onetime deal and y-you forgave me…you said you did…"

"I did in here." He tapped his head. "But not in here." He touched his chest, where his heart was. "Look, Atsuki, I didn't want it to come to this…"

Atsuki blinked away tears.

"There's…someone else…"

The world fell apart. "W-Who…?"

"R-" He paused, debating. "Ray."

"Our boss…?" His chest ached. "Liu…I…"

"I'm sorry, Atsuki. But we're through…" He kissed his forehead, but Atsuki ripped away. "One day, you'll understand."

As Liu Yee walked away, Atsuki decided that he'd never fall in love again.


	2. Ray Platieré

Dlbn: Hey everyone, and welcome to another chapter!

Nbld: Thank you to SulfurHeart for reviewing! Here's some cookies!

SulfurHeart: I'm glad you enjoyed! And thank you! Yeah, it was meant to tug at the heartstrings a little bit. But there's always a bright side to the dark!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Atsuki Saijo, Ray Platiére, Liu Yee, Lux Pain, or anything and everything contained within. It all belongs to Kilaware. I make NO money off of writing this work of fiction.

000

~First Hero~

Ten year old Atsuki Saijo glanced around his destroyed home with his one working eye. He was bleeding profusely from his right arm; a pool of warm, red liquid surrounding him. He reached towards his unmoving baby sister with his working arm.

"M-Mani…" He groaned.

A tall man with long greenish-blonde hair and crystal blue eyes came to his side, and Atsuki looked up at him.

"H-Help…m…m…"

The man put a hand on his head and spoke words that Atsuki was unable to hear due to the blood rushing into his ears. A couple more men in white lab coats joined them. One put a needle in his good arm and injected something. Atsuki began to lose consciousness a few moments later.

The blonde held his hand and muttered encouraging words that went unheard. As he faded out, Atsuki was sure that this blonde man was an angel.

~First Tears~

Atsuki knew two things. One, his family was gone. Two, Ray's shoulder to cry on meant the world to him. There wasn't really anyone else at FORT to talk to. Sure, there were other agents. But they paid no mind to the now twelve year old boy. It was two years since he lost his family to that crazed serial killer. No one had told him why these people, instead of police, had come to his house to figure out what was going on. It didn't really matter anyway, since someone had come to help at all. The man who did it was dead. Atsuki had seen the corpse in the FORT morgue himself; since Ray had asked him to identify the man. Atsuki wasn't happy about seeing the man again, but it had to be done, he supposed. Atsuki _was_ the only survivor.

"Are you alright, Atsuki?" Ray asked, knocking lightly on the door to the room Atsuki had been given.

"Y-yeah…" He responded softly.

Ray opened the door and walked in, shutting it behind him.

Atsuki was sitting on the edge of his bed. He looked up from his hands to see the face of the man that saved him two years ago.

"It's…been two years." Ray stated. "Are you alright…?"

Atsuki shrugged. "Nothing I can do about it…" He whispered.

"Have you…done anything to cope with it?"

"Like what?"

"Talking about it with one of the counselors?"

"No."

"Write a poem or something…?"

"No."

Cry…?"

"…No."

"You should do something. It's not good to hold everything in. That's how people go insane from it…"

Atsuki didn't speak for a moment. "I don't want to."

"Talk?"

"Anything…"

They sat in silence for a moment. Ray put his hand on the younger male's shoulder.

"It's okay to cry, you know…"

Atsuki felt his eyes well up a little. "I don't need to cry."

"There's nothing wrong with it."

Atsuki shook his head and wiped at his eyes. "I don't need to!"

Ray smiled softly. "Are you sure?"

For the first time since he was little, Atsuki let hot tears roll down his cheeks.

~First Decision~

Atsuki was thirteen years old when he decided to get a Sigma implantation. He could have had it done when he was first rescued at age six, but Ray had figured that he would be fine without it. Atsuki had agreed, but only having one working eye and one working arm was getting to be a bit too much for him. He was right handed, which was his non-working hand, so that was a disadvantage as well. Not to mention the numerous bruises that littered his side from walking into furniture from not being able to see them. He'd also walked into a few Agents, and consequentially pissing them off. It wasn't like it was his fault, but they still muttered something about him needing to get the surgery ASAP. Atsuki had finally succumbed after about three years of doing without it. He walked into Ray Platiére's office with the intent of talking him into giving him the surgery. He bumped into a coffee table as he walked over to Ray's desk. He slammed his working hand down on the desk, making Ray look up from his paperwork.

"Can I help you, Atsuki?" He wondered.

"I want the surgery." Atsuki responded.

Ray blinked. "The Sigma implantation?"

"What other surgery would I be talking about?" Atsuki grunted. "I'm sick of not being able to use my arm, and running into things just because I can't see the left side of the world."

"I'm surprised…" Ray said. "I thought we discussed this and decided you weren't doing it…"

"I can't live like this for the rest of my life, Ray." Atsuki went on. "I need to see, I need to be able to use my arm. I'm right handed, for God's sake!"

"If you have the surgery, you'll have to join FORT and be an agent."

"I know." Atsuki nodded. "I'm ready to be."

"You're fourteen…you can't possibly…"

"I know what I want, and I know what I can do. I'm doing this, Ray, whether you approve or not. I'll have them do the surgery either way."

Ray looked at him, seeing a clear determination in his eye, since his non-working one was covered with an eye patch. "Your mind is set."

"Yes." Atsuki nodded. "I talked with the medics earlier. They said that even though I survived the attack, my chances of living until I'm in my fifties are very low."

Ray nodded. "I'm aware. I was going to wait until you were older to tell you, but…"

Atsuki cocked an eyebrow. "I don't care what your reasoning for hiding this is. I want to be able to live…I want to help other people whose lives are being affected, or will be affected, by Silent. I don't want other people to suffer the way I had to. To be reduced to this." he motioned to his arm and then his eye. "No one should have to…"

"You've really thought this through, haven't you…?" Ray muttered.

"Of course I have. I've thought it through since I was eight years old. I want to do this."

"And there's no changing your mind?"

"No." Atsuki shook his head.

Ray didn't speak for a moment or two; the silence in the room driving Atsuki mad.

"Alright then."

Atsuki let out a breath of air, and his head dipped down. "Thank you, Ray."

Ray nodded. "No need to thank me. This is _your_ decision."

A decision that would change his life.

~First Lesson~

It was simple. Infiltrate the Tokyo Children's Hospital as a sick teenager, and locate the source of the local Silent infestation. Normally, Atsuki and Liu Yee would work on missions together. But this case called for more delicacy, and the target couldn't be killed for any reason. Liu Yee would rush into it and obliterate the mind of the infected person. That was something that they couldn't let happen, since the Source was most likely a child. Instead of making Atsuki work alone on this mission, Ray had decided to accompany him. Besides, it was a good chance to show Atsuki the ropes of missions. It was his first, after all, so who better to teach him then the head and founder of FORT?

Atsuki stalked the halls of the Children's Hospital late at night. Ray had fallen asleep, but restless Atsuki had decided to go and do some recon work on his own. As he walked down the hallways, he heard heels clicking on the tile floor. Atsuki made slid into a doorway and hid in the shadows. A nurse ambled past him, back hunched and knees bent. Her head swept side to side, searching the area for something. Atsuki caught sight of the crazed look in her eyes and held back a gasp. She was definitely infected by something, whether it be Silent or simply a touch of madness. When he was sure she left, he slid from the shadows and walked back towards his room to get Ray. Not watching where he was going, he bumped into something warm. He looked up and saw that it was another teenager, around his age. He looked sick. Probably a patient. The boy cocked an eyebrow and scratched at his shaggy bangs.

"What are you doing out here?" He whispered.

"I should ask you the same." Atsuki responded softly.

"Couldn't sleep."

"Same here."

The boy nodded. "Did you see that nurse? Something's wrong with her."

"Yeah, I saw. Go back to your room. I don't think it's safe out here."

"Why should I go back to my room? Are you going back to yours?"

"Yes, I am."

Atsuki heard a scratching noise along the walls, as if someone was dragging something metal across it. His eyes widened in fear. "Come on, let's go!" He grabbed the boy's arm and tried to pull him along, but the boy was frozen.

Atsuki gave one more yank, but the boy didn't move. The scraping sound got louder. Atsuki looked at the boy. "Are you just going to stand there?" He whispered harshly. "Let's get out of here!"

The boy turned to look at Atsuki over his shoulder, but his head turned a little farther back. Atsuki heard bones snap and crackle under the force. He let go of the boy, but the boy grabbed his hand and smirked deviously.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" The boy snarled.

The scraping noise continued, and the nurse from before ambled into the hallway Atsuki and the boy were in. She had a sadistic smile on her face. In her left hand was a scalpel, which she had been scratching along one wall as she walked. Her right hand contained what looked like a miniature sickle. It had also been scraping a wall. Atsuki would see the drag marks. He paled, but called upon the power of sigma anyway. The boy threw him towards a wall, making him lose concentration and cry out. The marks on his right arm faded away, and his eye lost its golden hue. Atsuki groaned and tried to stumble away, but the boy grabbed him. The nurse ran towards him, heels clicking on the tile. She stopped in front of him and tilted his head up with the sickle.

"What's wrong, honey?" She wondered, mocking concern. Her lips were pulled into a twisted little smirk. He saw her eyes flash dangerously with madness. The same kind Atsuki had seen in the eyes of the man who killed his family and wounded him. "Are you injured? Can't sleep?" She flashed her teeth at him as she smiled.

Atsuki had never been more scared in his life. He didn't answer her and defiantly stared at her.

"It's not nice to ignore your elders!" She swung at him with the scalpel, grazing his cheek.

Someone came running around the corner and tackled the nurse to the ground, making her weapons ping on the tile and bounce away. There was a struggle. The boy pounced on whoever had tackled the nurse. Atsuki recognized the tackler as Ray and pulled the boy away. He powered up his Sigma and unleashed it. Within minutes, he killed the Silent infecting the boy's mind. Once he came back for the boy's psyche, he noted that Ray had pinned the nurse to the ground on her back, and was holding her in place.

"Atsuki! Sigma!" Ray ordered.

Atsuki nodded. "R-Right!" He entered the woman's mind.

He felt the world around him shake as she thrashed, but ignored it. A large, cockroach looking creature was sitting on what looked like a throne in the corner of her mind. It stood and hissed at Atsuki, throwing its legs out. Atsuki kept his lips pressed thin together and made his mind blank. He had to stop this thing before anyone heard the commotion and found Ray and the nurse in such a…compromising position. Atsuki clasped a fist and imagined a long sword in his hand. The sword materialized, glistening silver, even though the woman's mind was pitch black. The insect made a chirping noise that resembled laughter. It leaped from the chair at Atsuki. Atsuki stuck the blade of his sword into the air, and the bug landed right on it. It screeched, struggling to get away and making the sword drag a longer injury into it. A green blood-like substance dripped from the injury, staining Atsuki's blade. The creature squealed and squirmed. Atsuki watched the legs dance until they fell still. He walked over to the bug and poked it with his sword. When it didn't respond, he swung the blade down, severing the head. The bug's antennae swung around as the head rolled away. It began to turn into dust, and Atsuki took that as his cue to leave.

When he returned to the real world, Atsuki noted the nurse lying on the floor, unmoving. Ray was sitting against a wall, panting heavily. The teen looked zoned out as he stood, slumped against the wall.

"He's from room 102." Ray pointed across the hall. "Put him in his bed. We'll leave the nurse here and hide her weapons."

"H-Hai, Ray." Atsuki nodded.

He took the teen and guided him back to his room. The boy snuggled up under the covers. Atsuki returned to the hall to find Ray standing again.

"Good job, Atsuki."

"Arigato…"

"But one thing."

"Yes?"

Ray stalked a little closer and tilted the silver haired boy's chin up to face him.

"Lesson number one. Never let your guard down."

~First Betrayal~

Atsuki's hand stung after it swept across the left cheek of a man he'd once thought of as a hero, a savior, a mentor, a father…a friend. Ray's check grew to an angry red as he looked indifferently at the angered teen in front of him.

"How could you do this to me?" Atsuki sneered. "You know how much I care about him!"

Ray snorted. "If you cared, you wouldn't have let some kid sweet talk you into a storage room and out of your jeans."

Atsuki slapped him again, darkening his cheek more.

"You know it's true, Saijo."

Another slap. "I _trusted_ you!"

"Liu trusted you, and look how that turned out."

A fourth slap.

"Just deal with it Atsuki." Ray caught his wrist before he could slap him again. "You had him, and you lost him because of one mistake. Was the sex worth losing the man you love?"

"I _never_ had sex with Atai!" Atsuki froze. "You knew…but you let him believe…h-how could you!"

Ray shrugged. "I knew nothing."

"Liar!"

"Blame me if you want, if it makes you feel better. I wonder…who the liar here really is." Ray let him go and walked away, shutting the door to his office.

Shaking with Anger, Atsuki knew that things at FORT were about to get very difficult.


	3. Nola Döbereiner

Dlbn: Hey everyone and welcome to chapter three of "First Time for Everything"!

Nbld: No reviews for the last chapter, so no review corner today. On with the fic!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Lux Pain or any characters, things, themes, or places included in said game. That's all Kilaware's stuff. I make NO money off of this work of fiction. I just have fun with it. And have recently started playing through a third time. :3

~First Compliment~

Atsuki Saijo is fifteen years old when FORT recruits a new member. This girl, who showed prowess in computers and electronics in general, was not a victim of Silent like Atsuki. She is sixteen years old. A little shorter then him, she doesn't hesitate to sent a smile up at him or a little wink when she sees he's having a bad day. It takes him a week or so to gather the courage to talk to her. He wasn't used to talking to girls close in age with him anymore; not since his family was stolen from him. He was used to the elder members of FORT. It was after a meeting with Chief Ray about Nola joining Liu Yee and Atsuki as part of their team.

"Hi." Atsuki greeted, rubbing the back of his neck. "Um…I'm Atsuki Saijo."

"Nola Döbereiner." She replied with a smile. "You're who people have been calling 'the Miracle Boy', hm?"

He flushed. "Um…I don't know about that…"

"Don't be modest." She ordered, waving him off. "You survived a particularly devastating attack, and a surgery that kills the majority of people the undergo it. You're a miracle."

Atsuki scratched at the back of his neck, still embarrassed. "Well, I wouldn't say _that_…"

She winked. "Well, whether you'd say it or not, it's true."

As she walked away, for the first time in a long time, Atsuki smiled.

~First Concern~

After the first mission Atsuki and Liu Yee went on with Nola's support back at FORT, Atsuki walked into the computer room that the older girl had made her personal office. She was asleep at the computer. Papers were scattered everywhere, and a spilled cup of tea dripped onto the floor from the computer table. There were candy wrappers and empty energy drink bottles under the computer table and on it. One bottle was spilled all over papers, leaving a stain on them. Nola lay on her arms, face sideways. She had large navy bags under her eyes, and her hair was a little askew. She looked like she had been through hell, though she'd been behind a computer for the whole of the mission.

Atsuki walked over quietly and nudged her. "Nola?" He wondered. "Are you alright?"

She stirred slowly. "Hm…?" She wondered. "Atsuki?" She rubbed at her lack-of-sleep-ridden eyes with one hand. It looked like she had chewed her fingernails down in nervousness. Chocolate stained a couple of her fingers and the end of her sleeve.

"You look horrible…" He said slowly. "Have you slept at all during this mission?"

She looked at a watch on her left wrist. "A few hours…"

He looked around at the mess on the table. "I think you've crashed." He commented. "All these energy boosts can't be good for you, combined with the chocolate and the caffeine from the tea…once you use it all up, you crash…"

"I don't need a lecture from someone else who doesn't sleep." She playfully poked under his left eye, where a slight bag had made itself a home.

He flushed. "I'm concerned about you…"

She smiled softly at him before settling back onto her arms to sleep again. "That makes two of us."

He left her alone and exited the labs, puzzled by her words. It wasn't until the next day when he would realize the double meaning being her words.

~First Friend~

"Hey, Atsuki!" Nola ran over to the telepath, waving a report. "I have the latest reports from Shanghai! You're _not_ going to want to ignore this."

"What is it?" He took the papers and read them over.

A suspect had been isolated from the suicide risk group they had signaled out to be of interest.

"Oh, good." He nodded. "Liu and I'll go and check him out."

She nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me. I'll report to Ray."

"Alright. I better go find Liu then."

"You keep calling him by his first name."

"So?"

"I knew there was something between you two." She winked.

He flushed. "N-No there's not…"

"Don't worry about it, Atsuki." She slung an arm around his neck. "If it's meant to be a secret, I'll just keep quiet."

"…You will…?"

Ray was the only other person who knew, and he'd almost let it slip quite a few times.

"Of course. I'm happy to keep your secrets a secret. We're friends, right? That's what friends do for each other."

"Friends, hm?" He smiled and pushed her arm away. "I guess we are."

She smiled and patted him on the back before speeding off to find Ray.

"Friends…"

Atsuki smiled. The foreign word sounded so right.

~First Slap~

He hadn't meant to walk in on Nola changing. He really hadn't. But he hadn't knocked like a smart person would have, and it was the middle of the day anyway. How was he to know she'd gotten in the middle of a food fight in the cafeteria, when he hadn't set foot in there since he joined FORT? But the red mark on his cheek earned him the knowledge that knocking was always the right decision, glares from female FORT members and more respect from Liu Yee then he'd ever gotten out in the field.

~First Sleepover~

Atsuki knocked on Nola's door the night Liu Yee threw him out of their room. Cheating on him had been a huge mistake, one he wouldn't make again, but it would take time for the elder male to forgive him…if he ever did. Nola opened it, wearing nothing but a pajama top and underwear, and rubbing at her sleepy eyes.

"Atsuki?" She wondered softly, her voice laced with tinges of sleep. "Why are you here?"

"I…I did something stupid, Nola…" He fought back his tears. "Liu Yee kicked me out of our room…can I stay here for the night…?"

She seemed to wake up at that. "Yeah, just let me put on pajama bottoms. Come on in."

He entered her room while staring at his feet.

"I don't have a sleeping bag, and my bed's too small…but you can sleep in my arm chair if you'd like…"

"I'm fine with the floor." Atsuki responded, laying down on a bare spot and curling into a little bit of a ball. "Thank you, Nola."

"What are friends for?"

For what seemed like the millionth time in his life, Atsuki cried himself to sleep.

~First Nightmare~

When Atsuki woke up screaming in the middle of the night, it was Nola who bolted out of bed to his new room to make sure he was alright. The moment she stepped into the room, his screams faded into hysterical sobs and whimpers. She was at his side in seconds, wrapping lithe arms around him. It really wasn't fair that his first dream after joining FORT was a nightmare.

~First Apology~

Atsuki knocked gingerly on the door to the room he used to share with Liu Yee. Nola stood at his side, gripping onto his arm for support. The door didn't open for a few minutes, and Atsuki was tempted to just give up and turn away. But Nola held him steady and the door opened. Liu Yee answered, hair disheveled.

"Atsuki?" He wondered, narrowing his eyes. "And Nola? You two didn't do something incredibly stupid and irreversible, did you?"

"Atsuki has something he wants to say to you, Liu. Don't be a prick about it…" Nola ordered. She backed away from Atsuki and gave him a gentle nudge forward.

"What?" Liu obviously wasn't in the mood.

"Look…um…about…you know…" Atsuki nervously stuttered, playing with the end of his shirt.

"No, I don't know. I'm waiting for you to explain before I lose my patience."

"About…Atai…my um…on you…"

"You mean you cheating on me?" Liu Yee leaned against the doorframe, folding his arms. His eyes were dark and hard.

"Yeah…that…"

"Yes?" He wondered. "Get on with it. I'm a very busy person."

"I'm…I'm sorry…"

"You're sorry." Liu blinked in disbelief. "You're _sorry_?"

"Y-Yeah…"

"Should've thought of that before you did anything with him."

"I know…I wasn't thinking…I was being stupid and selfish and…it was a huge mistake. I'm never going to do it again. I shouldn't have done it in the first place." Atsuki finally looked up at his ex-lover. "I fell in temptation like a moron and gave into it. It was stupid and wrong and horrible to do…you didn't deserve that…"

"No, I didn't." Liu Yee stepped back into his room. "And you don't deserve my forgiveness." He slammed the door in Atsuki's face.

Atsuki stood there, dumbfounded. How could Liu Yee be so cold? Sure, he had a right to be mad. Atsuki would be too. But still…How could either move on without Liu Yee at least giving out forgiveness, even if it was just the words with no meaning behind it? Atsuki felt a hand on his shoulder and looked to see Nola at his side.

"You tried…" She said.

"I know."

"I'm sorry."

Atsuki knew deep down that she wasn't the person who needed to be doing the apologizing.

~First Escape~

There's nothing Atsuki awaits more then the day that he can leave FORT headquarters for something that wasn't a mission. To go out into a world of peace, instead of a world of sorrow and anguish. To escape into a paradise where Silent doesn't exist, and everyone is happy. That's the world he wants to roam around in. Not a world where people are being killed from the inside out by a force they don't even know exists. Not a world where there's poverty and famine and hatred and anger and death. Not in a world where people are committing suicide because the world went against them in every way conceivable. Not in a world where people are killing each other just because they can. He wants peace and happiness, not anger and despair. And that's what keeps him from running away from FORT and never looking back. This is where he's needed; where he belongs. The place where he can make the most difference in the world and in the lives of the people in it.

But that doesn't stop him from smiling and laughing when he sees that Nola turned his room into a Hawaiian getaway.

~First Rest~

Shanghai. A town in China. A town riddled with disaster. All because of Silent. So many people dead, so many stores looted and people robbed. So many murders and fights and fires. The Original isn't here. But they can at least stop the spread of the infection and save some lives. It's a big job for only Atsuki, Liu Yee, Nola, and the newest recruit named Natsuki, but somehow they manage. They stop the spread of Silent and move onto locating what they think is the source of the Original. But for now, it's been a rough seven months for the now seventeen year old telepath to endure. Nola is there to greet him when he returns. Liu Yee goes off to find ray to hook up, and Natsuki is resting from using her new powers so much.

"You look tired Atsuki." Nola told him. "Why don't you go rest and relax for a while, hm? I'll handle things from here with the computer."

"Can't rest…I gotta keep working. Gotta keep moving." Atsuki replied. "I'm not tired, anyway."

His body betrays him with a yawn.

She chuckles. "Sure you're not." She pretended to agree. "But go to bed anyway before you collapse. You may not feel tired, but your body definitely is. I can't believe you're not in a heap on the ground yet."

"I'm fine." He insisted. "I don't need rest."

She took him by the hand and pulled him down to his room. "You need rest, and I'm not taking no for an answer." She said. "You're a telepath, and your mind needs rest in order to function properly. You know this."

"But I'm fine…" He protested.

"Liar."

Nola opened his unlocked bedroom door and pulled him in. "You need to rest. Now."

She brought him to the bed and shoved him onto it. He was asleep before his body hit the bed.


	4. Natsuki Venefskuja

Dlbn: Hey everyone, and welcome to another chapter! Once again, no reviews so no Review Corner. Sorry sis.

Nbld: Aw, not fair! D:

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Lux Pain or any people, places, themes, or concepts contained therein. They belong to Kilaware. I make NO money off of the writing of this here fic.

000

~First Sight~

Natsuki Venefskuja was her name. She was a little girl, about twelve years old, when she joined FORT. She was also blind in both eyes, due to an attack from a SILENT infected man. Her hair was short, as it had to be cut off because the attacker had tried to burn her to death as well. Like Atsuki, she was the sole survivor of the attack. The attack left her in a wheelchair. Sure, she could walk with a cane, but the news that her family had been slaughtered left her in a sort of incapacitated state.

Ray had insisted that they try the surgery on her to try and restore her eyesight at least a little bit. He figured that she would be a strong willed person. Not trying to be sarcastic, he had said that he could see a determination in her milky white eyes. She didn't want to be this way for the rest of her life. She was bright and cheery, even though the attack had been so severe.

As Natsuki was put under anesthesia so that the surgery could begin, she held tightly to Atsuki's hand. He'd been the first person to make a connection with her when she arrived, and she had asked him to be there. Once the surgery was complete, Atsuki sat by her hospital bedside; waiting for her to awaken.

Three hours after the surgery, he felt her stir awake. It shook him from his training simulation video game and prompted him to put it aside. Bandages were around her head, covering her eyes.

"A-Atsuki…?" She wondered. "Are you here?"

"I'm here, Natsuki." Atsuki responded, gripping her hand.

"Can I…can I open my eyes?"

"There's bandages on them. Let me go get a doctor, okay?"

She spoke softly. "Okay."

He left the room and grabbed the first Doctor he saw. The Doctor nodded and followed him into the room without a word exchanging between the two of them.

"Hello, Natsuki." The Doctor greeted. "How are you feeling?"

"Hi…" She whispered. "I'm fine…"

Atsuki gulped. This wasn't the cheerful, upbeat girl he knew when she first came here. Though, to be honest, that had probably been a front so that she wouldn't have to think about what happened to her and her family.

"That's excellent." The Doctor said.

"Can I take these bandages off?" Natsuki wondered. "I want to open my eyes."

The Doctor grabbed her chart off of the table it was sitting on and read it over. "It's been three hours. I think we can take the bandages off." He set down the chart. "I'm going to do this slowly and carefully, okay? So please, bear with me."

She nodded. "Okay."

Atsuki watched as the Doctor moved closer to her and began to carefully unwrap the bandages. Atsuki stood at the foot of her bed, right where she could see him when she opened her eyes. He waited expectantly for the Doctor to finish and move out of the way. It only took a few minutes, but it felt like hours. At last, the Doctor finished and stepped to the side.

"You can open your eyes, Natsuki." He informed.

Her little eyelashes fluttered as her eyes opened for the first time. She blinked pretty golden eyes at Atsuki and smiled.

"Hi, Atsuki…" She greeted.

"Hi, Natsuki." He moved closer. "Can you see me?"

She followed his movement. "Every detail."

For the first time in a long time, Atsuki Saijo smiled.

~First Tackle~

Atsuki was just walking down the hall after an intense training simulation with Ray. As much as he despised the man for stealing away Liu Yee, Ray was still is boss and Atsuki still had to respect that. They hadn't spoken much during the session; save for ray telling him to go faster, that he could do better, and praising him every so often. Atsuki didn't feel like he needed to go through this training all the time. He was pretty sure he'd harnessed the power of SIGMA by now- as it had been three years since the surgery-but he knew he'd have to train just like anyone else at FORT. He expected it. What he didn't expect was for Natsuki to come barreling around the corner and leap onto him, knocking him to the floor.

"Atsuki, Darling!" She greeted. "I looked everywhere for you!"

"I had training today!" He spoke, breathless. "God, Natsuki, what was that about?"

She giggled and climbed off of him, smoothing down her dress. After gaining her eyesight back the month before, thanks to a Lux Pain surgery, she had grown a fondness for Gothic Lolita clothing.

"Just thought I'd surprise you!" She folded her hands behind her back and leaned forward towards him. "Were you surprised, my sweet?"

"Yeah…you could say that…" He forced himself up so he was still laying back, but resting on his elbows.

She giggled. "Yay!" Without another word, she turned around and bounced away.

It was then that Atsuki decided that the teal haired girl might have been insane.

~First Scare~

Where was Natsuki? It wasn't like her to leave the computer lab at this time of day. She wasn't in her room, and she wasn't in the cafeteria getting something to eat. Ray hadn't asked her to do training, and neither Liu Yee or Nola had sent her off on an errand. Atsuki felt like he'd run around FORT Head Quarters about a dozen times that day; trying to find the youngest of the SIGMA users on his team. Finally, after walking past the back door for the sixth time, he spotted her. She sat on a grassy hill outside, gazing up and the clouds. Atsuki pushed open the door and walked over to her. Before he could say anything, she spoke.

"Hello, Atsuki, Darling." She greeted. "Isn't it beautiful out here?"

She was sitting on the grass, knees tucked up under her chin. Her arms wrapped around her legs.

"Why are you out here, Natsuki?" He wondered, ignoring her question and taking a seat next to her.

"I'm tired of being inside." She answered, as wind blew her now long hair back. "I want to be outside. I miss the sunshine and the fresh air. I miss the clouds and the chirping birds…"

She watched a butterfly as it flew past her. It landed on a flower for a few moments before flying away again.

"You should've told someone where you were going." He scolded. "I've been running around this place like a madman trying to find you."

"It's not like I could go far, Atsuki, Darling…"

"You had me scared stiff…"

"Scared?" She looked at him with her bright, golden eyes.

They shone brightly in the sunlight's reflection. They were the result of her SIGMA implantation a month and a half ago. One of Atsuki's, the one that had been damaged by the man who murdered his family, was the same color. Natsuki had lost sight in both of her eyes, which was why both were golden. Liu Yee was the only SIGMA user on the team without at least one golden eye. Atsuki didn't know about his past with SILENT, only that he didn't want to talk about it.

"I thought something had happened to you." He muttered, glancing away. He leaned back on his hands and held his face up to the sun.

"You were worried about me, Atsuki-kun?" She wondered, trailing off at the end of her sentence. She smiled a little. "Sorry to have scared you." She leaned over and kissed his cheek before standing and smoothing out her dress. "I guess I should go back inside. I'm sure Nola needs me to trace some Shinen. Sorry again, Atsuki-kun." She leaned down and kissed his forehead before leaving back into the building.

Sitting there on that hill, Atsuki vowed to fix the world and rid it of SILENT and all the evils it encompassed for the day that Natsuki would be free to roam in once more.

~First Plea~

"Atsuki-kun, can I ask you a question?" Natsuki wondered, as she pranced down the hall behind the silver haired boy.

Atsuki froze. The last time someone had said 'can I ask you a question' and called him 'Atsuki-kun', it led to him doing a few things he was not proud of with Liu Yee in bed.

"I…uh…I guess so…" Atsuki said.

"Great!" She beamed. "I was wondering if you'd like to go out on a date with me!"

He nearly choked on his own breath. "W-What?"

"Go on a date with me! Ray said I can go out next weekend, so I want to go on a date! Show me around! Please?" She clasped her hands together and looked up at him pleadingly.

"Uh…sure…" Atsuki spoke slowly. He smiled as the thought sank in. "Sure, I'd like to do that, Natsuki."

"Thank you so much!" She hugged him tight. "I'm going to go tell ray to give you the weekend off, too!" She left go and bounded off down the hall.

Atsuki smiled. This was the version of Natsuki he liked best.

~First Inquisition~

"Can I ask you something, Atsuki, darling?" Natsuki wondered.

"You already did, Natsuki." Atsuki said.

More then once, actually.

"It's not a big deal, but I've been noticing something…"

"What?" He sighed, taking a sip of the tea he'd bought.

The two of them were out on their 'date', as Natsuki had adamantly called it. Ray had reluctantly let Atsuki take the weekend off as well. if for nothing more then just so Natsuki would stop begging and have someone to protect her.

"You and Ray don't get along well, do you?"

"What makes you say that?" He set the cup down on the saucer it was delivered to their table on.

"I've noticed some…erm…tension…" She said. "And both of you? Your Shinen change so much when you're together…They become red…and blue at the same time…"

"It's nothing."

"But when you're with Liu Yee, your Shinen flares pink!" She exclaimed. "I know blue is for sorrow and red for hatred…but isn't pink love?"

"Um…yes…it is." Atsuki flushed, feeling his Shinen flare.

Natsuki must have sensed the change, because she smiled knowingly. "Ray has the same one around Liu Yee. I wonder why that is…"

"You know they're together, don't mess with me." Atsuki took a sip of tea.

"Oh, right." She giggled. "Silly me. But why does _your_ Shinen flare pink near Liu Yee, hm?"

"It's probably light red, not pink." Atsuki argued.

"Then why are you flushing?"

"I'm a little warm from the tea."

She giggled. "I don't believe you."

"So don't." He shrugged, not really caring if she did or not.

"Why don't you and Ray get along?"

"We get along."

"Your Shinen says otherwise."

"Believe my words, not my emotions."

She shrugged. "If you say so, Atsuki, Darling."

"I do."

She nodded once. "What do you think of Liu Yee?"

"He's…he's my partner. Nothing more."

"Was he ever something more?"

"No."

"Your Shinen says he was."

He rolled his eyes. "Stop using SIGMA on me."

"Sorry." She giggled. "I can't help it."

"Sure you can't."

She beamed and took a sip of her own tea. "I think you like him." Natsuki said. "Or at least you did, but something happened. Were you two in love?"

Atsuki gave her a look. "No."

"Sure?"

"Yes."

"Sure, sure?"

"Ugh." He pinched the bridge of his nose between two fingers. "If I tell you about my past with Liu Yee, would you stop asking me questions about it?"

"Okay." She beamed.

"Liu Yee and I were together for a while. Then I gave into temptation and cheated on him with a new recruit." Atsuki said. "He dumped me for Ray. I tried to apologize so we could move on, but he told me I didn't deserve his forgiveness and slammed the door on me. Happy now?"

Natsuki's eyes looked sad. "O-Oh." She said softly. "I'm sorry."

They didn't talk for the rest of the day.

~First Healing~

When Atsuki opened the door to the briefing room that a memo he'd received said to be in, he wasn't expecting to find Atai waiting for him with Natsuki, Liu Yee, Ray, and Nola. Atai wasn't even part of their team. This was unusual.

"What's going on?" He wondered.

"You sent the memo, shouldn't you know?" Liu Yee wondered.

"Why would _I _send a memo?" Atsuki wondered.

"I sent it." Natsuki said, standing. "Atsuki, Darling, have a seat."

Atsuki gave her a look before sitting down.

"What's the meaning of this, Natsuki?" Ray wondered.

"Yeah, I'm not even on the team." Atai was probably the most confused out of the men in the room.

"I know." Natsuki nodded. "I know what happened with you guys before I got here."

"You wouldn't…" Atsuki trailed.

"You _told_ her?" Liu Yee sneered, giving him a look.

"She beat it out of me." He shrugged, indifferent to the glare.

"All I know is that things aren't right!" Natsuki said. "How can you work together if you all hate each other?"

"I don't hate anyone in this room…" Liu Yee trailed. "I _despise_ a certain cheater and his play thing, but I don't hate anyone."

"I'm more mad at the situation we were all placed in." Ray gave Atai and Atsuki a glare that could kill.

Atai put up his hands in a defenseless motion.

"I don't care how you put it!" Natsuki stomped her right foot. "I can read your Shinen, and you're all pissed!"

The males flushed.

"Natsuki has a point." Nola chimed in. "I've seen the way you all look at one another sometimes. A working environment where everyone hates everyone isn't productive. Sure, we all work well together, but when was the last time Liu Yee waited for Atsuki to help? Or Atsuki went to Liu Yee for assistance with a particularly tough target?" She shook her head. "Most of the time, they don't acknowledge each other, let alone talk to one another."

"We can't go on like this. It's a stressful environment, and it makes for stressful minds. And that's not good for us!" Natsuki went on. "You don't have to forget what happened. You shouldn't, because you're _learning_ something from it. whether you know it or not, you're learning something. Learning what not to do again, learning to avoid temptation, learning and growing from what you learn. Sure, there's always going to be a part of each of you that isn't ready to let go of the hurt and the anger and the pain. But maybe if you can all forgive one another for this whole mess, then maybe the healing can begin properly. And we can get it back to the way it was supposed to be. The six of us working at the same organization, fighting the same evil, wanting the same things. Is that so much to ask? How are we going to accomplish anything when no one will talk?"

The males looked at one another for a moment, then looked away.

"I'm sorry…" Atsuki spoke first. "Sorry I gave into the temptation…"

A few moments passed before anyone else spoke. "I'm sorry, too." Atai agreed. "For giving you that temptation in the first place…"

"I'm sorry for snapping at you when you tried to apologize to me, Atsuki." Liu Yee said.

"I'm sorry I got involved the way I did." Ray added. "I'm your boss…I should've kept my emotions out of it…"

A few more moments of silence passed.

"I'm sorry this didn't happen sooner." Nola smiled softly, making the other snicker.

"I'm sorry I had to lie to get you all here." Natsuki said. "But it was the only way to make it happen. And look what got accomplished…? Maybe now…we can all start healing and be a team again?"

The others murmured their agreements; even Atai. Natsuki would never know the healing that would begin because of her actions.


	5. Nami Kamishiro

Dlbn: Hey everyone, and welcome to another chapter of "First Time for Everything"!

Nbld: No reviews means that there is no review corner. So, let's get on with the fic!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Atsuki Saijo, the Kamishiro sisters, Melody, Liu Yee, or Kisaragi. I do not own Lux Pain. Kilaware does. I didn't save Yayoi I time and I had saved when I shouldn't have, so I had to start all over again. 8 'episodes' down the drain. Oh well. I make NO money off of this fictional, sometimes slightly-canonical work.

000

~First Conspiracy~

He wasn't expecting anyone to be out that late at night, near the Yuhigaoka house. Especially not an eleven year old girl and her dog. But as the little girl smiled up at him nervously, he couldn't help but grow concerned over her. Such a small thing, all alone; even though she did have a large furry companion.

"I can't believe that sicko killed animals!" The young girl complained, stomping her left foot in irritation. "People like him are scum…" She flushed, rather embarrassed by her words. "Hey, Mister? I went into that apartment earlier. The guy wasn't there, but the poor animals were! Do you think the man is dead? Or that he just left?"

"He's dead. Without a doubt." Atsuki said, before he could stop himself. He flipped his silvery bangs from his eyes as a nervous habit he'd developed over the years.

There was something about this girl.

"You should go home." He informed her softly. "It's not safe here…"

She cocked her head to the side, making her reddish hair move with her. "There's something about you, Mister. Do you have powers, too?" She wondered.

He flushed. "Powers? N-No, of course not."

She giggled. "I knew it!" She said. "You really do have powers don't you?"

"No, I don't." He stubbornly argued with her.

How could an eleven year old girl discover what no adult in Shanghai had managed to discover? It made no sense. Perhaps, like him, she had powers as well.

"Melody said there was something different about you." She went on.

"Melody?"

"This is Melody!" The girl gestured to the dog with her. "Oh! Where are my manners? I'm Nami. Nami Kamishiro. Nice to meet you! What's your name?"

"A-Atsuki Saijo…"

"Atsuki, huh? I like that name." She giggled. "Don't worry, Atsuki, I won't tell anyone about your powers." She winked. "It's our little secret, okay?"

"I don't have powers." He insisted. "Stop saying that."

She winked again, rocking on the balls of her feet. "Sure you don't!"

Melody barked at the girl.

"What's that, Melody?" Nami wondered.

She looked at the dog and Atsuki swore he saw her eyes glow golden for a moment. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted.

"Melody wants to go home now! She said my sister is worried about me." Nami informed. "But don't worry. I promise. I won't tell anyone. Our little secret." She winked at him before turning to her dog. "Come on, Melody!"

The two of them ran off together; Nami's footsteps echoing into the night. Atsuki's phone ringing snapped him out of his little trance. He answered it, but didn't say anything.

"Atsuki?" Nola asked, somehow knowing he was still there. "What's taking you so long?"

"Sorry." Atsuki replied. "I swept the room. Some dark Shinen in the back of apartment 6."

"I got the reading." Nola confirmed. "But what took you so long to call me? Was someone there with you?"

"Just Liu Yee, scolding me." Atsuki replied.

"No one else?"

"No."

If Nami was going to keep his powers a secret, then Atsuki could keep her appearance secret as well.

~First Reminder~

Atsuki sat with Nami Kamishiro and her older sister, Yayoi, at a place called Triple Step. The younger of the sisters had suggested the three of them going there with Melody to eat. She had set up the table in the back and ordered for them without asking.

"I still can't believe he killed animals." Nami said. "We knew there was something wrong! I tried to tell the police, but they wouldn't listen to me!"

"So we tried to investigate the guy ourselves." Yayoi said. "We were about to give up."

"But then he killed more animals! And we told the police, and they finally listened." Nami sighed. "I wish they did before…then he wouldn't have killed so many animals…"

"We did everything we could, Nami." Yayoi insisted, putting her hand on her sister's. "The police just need more proof then the words of some kids."

Nami sighed. "I guess so." She said. "I've been keeping an eye on him to make _sure_ he didn't do anything."

"Nami, you shouldn't be doing that alone! That's dangerous!"

"I'm not alone! I always have Melody with me!"

"That's not…I mean…you should have an adult…and at night, you shouldn't be out at all!" Yayoi was becoming flustered.

"It doesn't matter, sis. I tried to stop him, I did…but I guess I failed. But now he's dead, so the animals can sleep soundly. Good riddance."

"Nami!" Yayoi scolded. "Don't talk like that! He was a person!"

"He was scum!" Nami slammed her palm on the table. "People who kill animals aren't people! They're monsters, Yayoi!"

"Nami…" Yayoi looked ready to scold her, but she looked around to see other people looking on. The tips of her ears turned red, along with her cheeks, in embarrassment. "Don't talk like that…"

"But it's okay." Nami smiled softly. "Because there are people like Mako at the Police Station. And Atsuki."

"S-Saijo?" Yayoi wondered. "What does he have to do with anything…?"

"He saved me from that weirdo, remember?" Nami asked her sister.

Yayoi had been surprised that Nami knew Atsuki; considering the age difference between the two, and that Atsuki was Yayoi's classmate in Kisaragi now. Nami had told Yayoi that the reason she knew Atsuki was that some creepy old man had been bothering her, and Atsuki had stepped in to fend him off. Of course, that hadn't been true.

"Oh yes…" Yayoi paused. "He did…"

When Nami sent another wink his way, Atsuki was reminded so much of his deceased little sister that it hurt.

~First Appreciation~

It had been a long, grueling day. A long day of running all over the city, looking for Yayoi Kamishiro before it was too late. Before she gave into the dark thoughts SILENT infected her mind with and ended her life, or Liu Yee found her and showed her no mercy. Nami's frantic searching and following of a scent that Melody picked up gave him the right path to take; but not the destination. Natsuki couldn't pick up the older, redheaded girl's Shinen, so it was up to Atsuki to track her down on foot. He'd run all over Kisaragi that day; talking to anyone and everyone he knew, picking up clues and reading Residual Shinen. He'd covered all six areas of the city by the time he finally found Yayoi. After using his SIGMA powers and eliminating the SILENT infecting her mind, he plopped down in the dirt by the swing set. He didn't care that his new jeans or jacket would get dusty. He just wanted to rest his weary legs. He couldn't believe he went through all this trouble for one girl. In the end, would it even matter if Yayoi Kamishiro made it through the day? Survived her troubles? Atsuki was only half conscious when Nami finally caught up to them.

"Yayoi!" The young girl cried, leaping into the arms of her big sister. "I thought something had happened to you!"

Through Atsuki's haze, something registered in his mind. Now he knew why saving Yayoi Kamishiro mattered. It was all because of the eleven year old girl in her arms. And the softly uttered 'thank you' in appreciation from Nami's lips before they departed together was all the payment Atsuki would ever need.

~First Comfort~

He saw her sobbing on the park swings. Eleven year old Nami Kamishiro. She held her head in her hands, but he could tell that she was crying. Her body heaved with deep sobs. There were droplets of water hitting the dirt underneath her. Atsuki slowly made his way over to her and sat on an adjacent swing.

"Why…?" Nami sobbed. "Why did she have to die?!" She sobbed louder. "Mako…!"

Atsuki felt hot tears pressing at the corners of his eyes, but he fought them back. He had to be strong. For Nami. For the little sister he lost out on having. He didn't know what to say. Just that being in her presence might soothe the girl. Thunder rolled overhead, as if the skies were about to open up and pour down misery in mourning of the cop Mako Ando.

"She's in a better place…" Atsuki softly told the weeping elementary school student. "Where the bad guys can't hurt her…"

Nami slowly lifted her head and looked at him. "How…how can you be positive about something like this?" She wondered. "Mako was the best cop Kisaragi ever had! She was so nice, and friendly…she was an angel."

"Even angels have a limited time on Earth." Atsuki said standing. He made his way to the younger girl. "It's not that I'm heartless or trying to be inconsiderate. And in no way am I minimizing the tragedy of her death. But everything happens for a reason."

"What reason? What reason could there possibly be for Mako to die?" Nami wondered. "Why did God have to take her?"

"Merciless as it may seem…there's a reason…she saved Mika." Atsuki spoke slowly, as if unsure of what to actually say.

He'd never had to _comfort_ someone before. Especially not a weeping child.

"Why…why couldn't they have both lived?" Nami wondered. "Why did either of them have to die?"

"Maybe it was just her time, Nami." Atsuki smiled softly down at the girl.

Before he could say anything more, her thin arms were around his waist. She sobbed into his shirt, staining it with her salty tears.

"Why, Mako? Why did you have to take her from us?!" Nami cried into his shirt, as if God himself would hear her.

Atsuki knew that he'd never have all the answers for her. But for now, letting her sob away all her sorrow in his arms was the best comfort he could give.

~First Memory~

Leaving Kisaragi City wasn't going to be an easy task. There were so many people…so many memories…

"There were people…people like _us_, Liu…" Atsuki solemnly explained to his partner.

"I know." Liu Yee confirmed with a nod. "But that's all in the past now. You know they won't remember."

"They'll still have their powers." Atsuki objected. "And Kisaragi has been the target of numerous attacks over the years. The Shanghai Incident started there…last year's killer…Tanaka…PHALANX and Steiner…"

"There will always be attacks on Kisaragi. A dark cloud perpetually hovers over the city." Liu Yee shrugged. "It can't be stopped. But we have to go where we are needed most, Atsuki. To fight SILENT. Or have you forgotten your job?"

"No, I know, I just…"

"Leaving so soon?" A young girl wondered.

Atsuki looked to the side of the bridge that he and Liu Yee were using to leave town. Nami Kamishiro sat on a little ledge on the bridge, feet dangling on the walkway. She leaned forward, using her hands to hold onto the rail. Her feet lazily kicked back and forth. A light gust of wind blew her reddish hair around her like a veil under her hat. She smiled at Atsuki and Liu Yee; pretty white teeth gleaming in the moonlight as her brown eyes sparkled.

"Nami?" Atsuki wondered, though he felt Liu Yee grab his shoulder to stop him from getting too close.

"Who else would I be, silly?" She wondered. "Are you really leaving so suddenly? Without saying goodbye?"

"That's how it has to be." Liu Yee told her.

She pouted at him for a moment before smiling Atsuki's way again. "They're not going to forget, you know." She informed. "Not completely anyway. We'll make them remember. Everyone will remember Atsuki Saijo. The boy who saved our town…saved us…"

"They'll forget. They always do." Atsuki muttered, looking away.

"Do you think Akira could ever forget you?" Nami wondered, making Atsuki flush and Liu Yee glare at him. "Or Mika and Shinji? Or Rui and Ryou and Hibiki? Or my sister and me? Do you really think we'll forget? You touched our hearts, Atsuki. We can't forget that." She shook her head and tilted it back to bask in the moonlight. Her eyes closed as she did so.

The wind continued to blow her hand around her, threatening to take her hat into the waters below with it. She made no move to prevent it.

"Of course you'll forget. Everyone does." Atsuki responded.

"The longer we stay, the more risk we have of being spotted." Liu Yee pointed out. "Graham has everyone n town after telepaths."

"Graham Miller isn't a problem anymore." Nami informed. "The birds told me so. He's gone off somewhere else to cause trouble. The town isn't bathed in read anymore."

"Whatever you say." Liu Yee rolled his eyes.

"Don't underestimate her, Liu, or her powers." Atsuki corrected, not bothering with surnames.

The Chinese telepath gave him another look. "Make this brief. I'll be waiting at the chopper." He disappeared into the shadows at the end of the bridge. Atsuki stepped closer to Nami.

"They really won't forget?"

"Rui is reminding them all, as we speak." Nami smiled at him, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. "Her powers let her resist your people's influence. Same as my powers let me resist it. For every person Rui touches, one more will remember the name and face of Atsuki Saijo. They're all gathering here." She sighed. "You have two choices today, Atsuki." She chirped at him. "You can go with your friend and forget about Kisaragi. Leave everyone and everything behind." She closed her eyes for a moment, before opening them again. "Or you can stay where you are and wait for everyone to join you. To show you that you are welcomed and remembered here. It's your choice."

"But if I chose to stay here, for my own reasons, am I being selfish?" He wondered. "I'll be giving up my job. Forsaking the people who mean everything to me, who saved me. Forsaking the rest of the world and the other current, past, and future victims of SILENT."

"Only you know what the right decision is, brother." Nami smiled at him.

"If I go with FORT, I'm abandoning everyone…" Atsuki said. "And if I stay here. I'm betraying the world…this has never happened before…no one's ever…given me a chance…"

"You've never been allowed to choose what it is you want to do?" Nami was surprised. "A prison in your haven?"

"I suppose that's as good a way to look at it as any." Atsuki shrugged. "Natsuki doesn't get a choice either. She stays at FORT and does what she's told. 24/7, 365. But that's beside the point. What is the right choice…?"

"Only you know." Nami said. "I told you your options, brother. Stay or leave. Do what your heart says."

Atsuki closed his eyes and thought through his options. On one hand, he could leave with Liu Yee. He had sworn all those years ago to destroy SILENT and stop its agents before they hurt anyone. He promised to keep the world safe. If he left with Liu Yee, he could keep his promise to make a world that Natsuki could walk around freely in without fear. A perfect world.

On the other hand, he could stay here and let the chopper go without him. He could be with the one person he loved more then anything in this world; Akira. He could have friends his own age and go to school like a normal teenager. He wouldn't put his life in jeopardy anymore. He could finally be free.

But no matter what he chose, someone out there would remember; remember the name Atsuki Saijo, remember his face and voice…It was the first time anyone outside of FORT would remember him. The first memory the world had of him.

When Atsuki Saijo opened his coal black eyes, he knew what to do.


	6. Aoi Matsumura

Dlbn: Hey there, everyone, and welcome to chapter six! It's getting hard to figure out what to use for each drabble, without repeating a "FIRST" by mistake.

Nbld: But we make ourselves a list to look at each time we write, so that we can avoid that mistake.

Dlbn: And without further ado, here's chapter six! :D

000

~First Warning~

Atsuki didn't know what to expect when he saw a pink haired woman greeting students as they entered the school. She seemed nice enough, and her Shinen was a happy pink color, but there was an undertone of sadness. She spotted Atsuki and her Shinen flared in warning.

"Hey, you!" She addressed him. "Are you the transfer student?"

"Y-Yes, ma'am." He greeted slowly, wary of the woman in front of him.

Nice as she seemed, he couldn't help but flinch every time her Shinen flared.

"Oh, that's great!" She grinned widely as her Shinen turned a sunny yellow. "I'm Matsumura Aoi." She introduced herself.

"Atsuki Saijo."

"Nice to meet you, Atsuki! I've been waiting your arrival since we found out three days ago."

Her attention suddenly seemed to be captured by something else on campus.

"Hey, you two!" She called at a couple holding hands. Without saying more to Atsuki, she stomped over to them.

"Y-Yes, Ms. Aoi?" The boy wondered, as he and the girl let go of one another's hands.

"Don't be doing that around campus!" Aoi said. "You're here to _learn_!"

"Y-Yes, ma'am. Sorry," The girl apologized.

The couple ran off into the school, seemingly embarrassed. Aoi flushed and walked back to Atsuki.

"I don't know why they think they can do that here…" She muttered.

"Um…ma'am?"

Aoi smiled at him, her Shinen flaring a deep blue. He recognized it as a deep sadness. Perhaps the young couple brought up bad feelings.

"Listen to me, ranting away?" She giggled. "I should let you go on into school. Don't be too late for class now, okay?" She bounced off, greeting some kids and scolding others.

Warning number one. Aoi Matsumura was unstable.

~First Embarrassment~

Atsuki flushed as Ms. Matsumura continued talking about him.

"Saijo's a good kid." She was saying to someone on the other side of the wall. "And he's good looking, too."

"Watch out, Aoi." Another teacher's hearty laughter filled the halls. "You might just fall in love with someone too young for you. And then poof! Heartbreak Hotel is your new address."

"Not funny, Renji!" Aoi cried, slapping the man. "He's cute and sweet, but that's it! He's my student and I _don't_ think of him I that manner! I could never think of a student like that."

"Oh, come on, Aoi. I was only kidding." Renji replied. "Saijo is a nice kid, I agree. He listens to my talks about Od and doesn't call me crazy."

"Anyone who _doesn't_ call you crazy when you talk about that has to be nice." Aoi informed. "Or crazy."

"Hey!" Renji protested. "Oh…I suppose I do deserve that, huh? I walked right into it."

"That you did, Renji." Aoi giggled.

Atsuki felt a flare of yellow Shinen build up, but he didn't bother to read it. He was too red in the face.

"Well, I better get going. I have to set up my Od machine at the AMS Bank to get a good reading from that area."

"Just don't get into trouble with Edward!" Aoi warned. "And don't let any of the students see you! We don't need to worry them that you're up to something dangerous!"

"If more people knew about Od, we wouldn't have this problem." Renji sighed.

"We also wouldn't have this problem if you didn't do this during the day…or at all…"

"But I have to Aoi. A slight unbalance in one area could really screw up the town, let alone in more then one area." Renji sighed. "I promise, I won't do it at school."

"Okay, okay." Aoi sighed.

"Great! Well, I'm going to go now. Bye, bye!"

Atsuki slipped into an empty classroom and waited for Renji to walk past. Atsuki waited until he couldn't hear his footsteps before he exited the room. He walked down the hall towards the Teacher's Room, which was where Aoi and Renji had been talking. He took the corner a little sharply and ran into Ms. Matsumura. Without thinking, he reached out and grabbed her around her waist to prevent her from falling. Aoi blinked pretty pale red eyes at him, her face flushing to match them. Her long pink hair swept over his arm.

"S-Saijo-kun?" She wondered. Her hands were clutched into fists over her chest. She blinked in surprise. "I…w-what are you doing?"

"S-So sorry, Ms. Matsumura." Atsuki flushed. "I didn't see you there."

"Oh…oh, it's alright, don't worry…but…um…could you let me go?" She looked away from him. "This is highly inappropriate…"

"Sorry!" He steadied her as she shoved her hands into her dress' pockets. "I didn't mean to do that."

"Were you looking for someone?"

"No, I was just walking around school. I lost a notebook somewhere."

"Oh! I'll let you know if it's brought to the teacher's Lounge." Aoi informed. "Um…but if there's nothing you need…I must be going…"

"Oh, yes, sorry." He stood to the side to allow her to pass; crossing his left arm over his chest and bowing slightly.

She flushed darker. "T-Thank you, Saijo-kun. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, ma'am."

Atsuki watched her turn the corner and then listened until he could no longer hear her heels clicking on the floor. He sighed. Now, to read that pink Shinen that was still lying around.

Atsuki turned and used Sigma to scan the area. He shaved away at the gray area round him until he found the Shinen he was looking for. Concentrating hard, he made the Shinen pop to life. The light, airy thoughts were definitely that of Aoi Matsumura.

_Atsuki Saijo_

_**Good**__ student._

_Well _behaved_._

_Must have been _**cute**_ as a child._

_Kind hearted._

_Renji Takano._

**Good teacher.**

_I wonder if he noticed my __new__shoes__._

_Probably _not.

_Sweet man, but a little misguided._

_Could he be _**the one**?

**Atsuki**, so _gentle_ and _kind_. **Renji**, so _sweet_ and _bumbling_.

_Which __**one**__ is __right__? __Kind__ or __bumbling__? __Sweet__ or __gentle__?_

_Can't decide. Can't decide. Can't decide…_

As the Shinen and Aoi's thoughts wore off, Atsuki felt his face flush in embarrassment. He had no idea if he could face Aoi Matsumura in English class the next day, or ever again.

~First Mother~

Aoi Matsumura was a kind teacher. There was no hate within her or her Shinen; except for the occasional anger. She cared deeply for every student, and her Shinen turned blue when she was worried about one of them. It was as if she could feel their pain. She was always yelling at Shinji Naruse, a student of hers, but Atsuki knew it was out of love and compassion. She was tough on students who slacked off, and didn't tolerate any student disrespecting either another teacher, or their fellow students. Bullying was a touchy subject with her, and she always swiftly responded to it.

When Atsuki walked into English class one Monday morning, feeling sicker then a dog because of work the night before, he didn't want anything to do with anyone. Mika's high pitched bragging about her newest scoop easily got on his nerves, as did Shinji's rampant bragging about something he'd hacked into the day before. Atsuki sought refuge in the back of the class with Ryo, as the navy haired male was always found reading, but even the other's under his breath muttering was an annoyance. Aoi Matsumura walked into class, which made everyone settle instantly.

"Good morning everyone!" Aoi was chipper as usual. "How is everyone feeling today?"

She got muttered responses from some students, and enthused responses from others. Atsuki preferred to stare at his desk like the doodles carved into it were the most interesting thing he'd ever seen; not answering the sweet teacher.

"So who's absent today?" Aoi wondered, glancing around the room. "Oh, Saijo-kun is absent?"

"Right here…" Atsuki croaked out.

She glanced at him. "Oh, Saijo, I didn't hear you answer me this morning. How are you doing?"

He looked up half-enthused and gave her a weak smile. "Fine."

Her mouth pinched into a hard line. "Saijo-kun, you look incredibly ill."

"I'm fine." No sooner did the words leave his mouth did Atsuki begin coughing.

"No, you're not." Her voice was stern. "Go to the nurse's office, please, and let her have a look at you. I won't let you back into this room until she gives you a note of a clean bill of health."

"I'm fine." Atsuki replied through his coughs. "Please ignore me…"

"No, I won't." She grabbed the top of the lectern in front of her with both hands. "Go to the nurse's office this instant. You look sicker then a dog!"

"But I'm…"

"No ifs, ands, or butts, Saijo." She scolded him.

Her stern voice made Atsuki slowly stand up from his chair. "Y-Yes, ma'am…sorry…" He apologized, walking towards the classroom door.

"You may claim that you're okay and not want to go, but you'll thank me." Aoi informed. "I only want what's best for you. Now go. And no arguments!"

"Yes ma'am." Atsuki pulled open the door to the classroom and left, shutting the door behind him.

Once Atsuki took a half hour nap in Nurse Hino's office, the orange-haired nurse let him leave for class. Atsuki pulled open the classroom door, feeling ten times better.

"And so, Romeo…" Aoi trailed as she noted that no one was really listening. She turned form the board she was writing on and spotted Atsuki. "Oh, Saijo! Well?"

He walked up to her and handed her a note.

"All better." He said. "I just needed rest."

She grabbed it, softly holding onto his hand where their fingers touched. "I told you that going to the nurse's office was a good idea." She smiled. Her warm smile reminded him of the ones his late mother would give him.

"Yes, ma'am. I won't doubt you again."

She grinned and let him go. "Let Ryo catch you up to speed." She turned back to the blackboard to write again. "Now where was I? Oh yes! Romeo took a swig from the potion just as Juliet opened her eyes…"

As he walked back to his seat next to Ryo, Atsuki couldn't help but smile. It was nice knowing that no matter who you were, as long as you were a student of Aoi Matsumura, you always had a mother looking out for you.

~First shoulder~

As Aoi Matsumura's fingers clenched tightly to Atsuki's shirt, the silver haired male was surprised beyond anything he'd ever felt before. His face flushed pink on his cheeks, making his dark eyes light up a little. He could just _feel_ Liu Yee watching from the shadows and laughing at how awkward Atsuki was with women.

"Why?" Aoi sobbed. "Why did it have to be Renji? Who would _kill_ such a sweet man?" She cried into his shoulder and lightly pounded her fist into his chest. "It must have been that machine! Someone killed him over that machine!" She sobbed.

Atsuki felt his shirt soaking through with her tears. Not even Nami had cried that much when Mako had died.

"It's not fair! It's not fair!" She shrieked. "Why did God have to take him? He was the one! _The one_!"

Remembering Aoi's thoughts on whether it was Atsuki or Renji she should choose, Atsuki felt both embarrassed and relieved. She'd chosen Mr. Takano. Who was dead. The world was such a cruel and unjust place.


	7. Shinji Naruse

Dlbn: Hey everyone, and welcome to another chapter! We didn't know who to do for this chapter, so we just picked someone at random.

Nbld: But first, time for the Review Corner! Thank you to ThreadsToFeathers for reviewing! Cookies for you!

ThreadsToFeathers: Liu needs to forgive him eventually. After all, they work together. I like her, too. I think Takano was my favorite of the teachers, though, to be honest. He didn't deserve that ending. Oh, thanks! ^^ I'll get onto that now. Glad you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own the characters of Lux Pain. They belong to Kilaware. I make NO money off of writing in this category.

000

~First Suspicions~

Shinji Naruse was two things. Rude, and a brat. When Atsuki had first met the boy, he had snapped at him and told him to stop staring at him. That had been rude and annoying all at once. The second time Shinji annoyed Atsuki was the second time they met in the school Computer Room. The violet-haired male had been using the PC and glared at Atsuki when he saw him.

"Why are you watching me?" He wondered. "It's creepy."

"I'm not watching you." Atsuki denied, shaking his head. "I was just spaced out."

"Yeah, sure you weren't." Shinji rolled his blue eyes. "Look, just stop, okay?"

"Fine, sorry."

Shinji fixed him with one last glare before leaving.

After learning more information about Shinji, Atsuki went to find out more about where he hung out. it wasn't like he wanted to stalk the boy, but FORT had asked him to get more information. So why not piss him off more while he was at it? Atsuki went to Yuzi's Internet Café to look for clues. Atsuki was charged with finding Shinji's new hangout, so he decided to try there while he was in the area. Yuzi, Café owner, had said that he had to protect confidentiality of customers; and therefore couldn't tell Atsuki whether Shinji hung out around there or not. Shinji had approached Yuzi with a question. He had stopped speaking mid-sentence to give Atsuki a look.

"Are you following me or something?" He wondered.

"Of course not." Atsuki shook his head. "Just wanted to use the Café, like everyone else in here."

Shinji rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

"Sorry." Yuzi said. "I told him I didn't know anything…you have horrible timing, Shinji…"

"Told him you didn't 'know anything'?" Shinji glared at Atsuki. "So you _are_ following me!"

"Different topic." Atsuki said. "Yuzi was just pointing out that you happened to need to talk to him and chose our conversation to interrupt. So I'm not stalking you, you just asked your question at a bad time, is all."

Shinji rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I have work to do." He glared at Atsuki again before going to the computer he'd wanted to use.

Atsuki rolled his eyes. In all his time working for FORT, Atsuki had never met anyone that was so suspicious of him.

~First Sympathy~

When he had first met Shinji, Atsuki had thought that the smaller boy was rude and arrogant. But over his days in Kisaragi, he'd learned a lot more. The first thing he'd learned was that Shinji was smart, he just didn't apply himself much. But when he did, he could do pretty much anything. That was evident in his experience as a hacker and computer game programmer. The second thing he learned, was that Shinji's parents were hardly around for him. They often went abroad for work and left him home all alone. A nanny had practically raised him; but they trusted him alone once he turned thirteen, and fired her. He'd been alone ever since. Ms. Aoi Matsumura, English teacher, had let this slip through her Shinen; which Atsuki read. After reading the Shinen and thinking nothing of it-after all, Nami and Yayoi were without parents, and they were okay; other then when Silent had almost made Yayoi commit suicide-Atsuki ran into Shinji.

"What do you want?" Shinji wondered. "Can't you see that I'm in a rush?"

Atsuki pried apart at the grey area to reveal Shinji's Shinen.

_Where did they_ _go this time?_

All alone.

**No parents.**

_Why don't they stay home with me?_

_**Whatever, I don't need anybody. Just me.**_

_Just me._

Just me.

After reading the Shinen, Atsuki couldn't help the lowly ache that sped through him. Though Shinji put on a tough, confident front in front of others, he was really just a lonely teenager inside. Being without parents was tough, which Atsuki knew first hand. Unlike with Yayoi and Nami's returning-once-a-week parents, Shinji's parents hardly stopped by to see him. No one at school had even seen them; that's how rare it was for them to be around. Atsuki sympathized with the boy. One who lost their parents could easily sympathize with one that had mostly absent parents. Although they were alive, they might as well have been dead. That was why Atsuki could finally see through Shinji's front to the frightened boy within. Because Atsuki knew, deep down, they were one and the same.

~First Respect~

The respect he'd had for Ray faded away the day Ray convinced Liu Yee to leave Atsuki for him. He couldn't respect someone who went behind his back, when pretending to be a friend, and slept with the love of his life. Natsuki and Nola were like overbearing sisters. There was a mutual understanding between the three of them, but Atsuki didn't akin that to respect. Atsuki loved Liu Yee, and always had, but that love didn't mean much to the elder man now. He could never love Atsuki again; or even trust him, since Atsuki had been the one that had cheated. There were people that Atsuki admired, yes, but he never really respected them. They would just forget him anyway, but he'd be nice as long as he could. Give them good memories of him to hold onto before he left for good and left their memories blank on the topic of his existence.

"Hey, Saijo!" Mika's voice cut him from his thoughts as he turned to the aspiring reporter.

"Yeah, Mika?" Atsuki wondered, taking a casual stance and jamming his hands in his jean pockets.

"Shinji's got something bit going down! You have to see this!" The energized girl grabbed Atsuki by the arm and pulled him down the road. "Come on, let's go! To Shinji's!"

After letting the blue haired ball of energy drag him to the Soejima Mansion, Atsuki finally pulled free. She wrapped her knuckles on the door to one of the apartments. The door opened with a grinning Shinji behind it, but the smile faded quickly at the sight of Atsuki.

"I told you not to bring anyone!" Shinji told Mika, his voice heated. "Why did you bring him? Ugh, this was supposed to be a secret!"

"Atsuki's a good guy, Shinji. He won't tell. Will you?" Mika looked up at Atsuki.

He shook the bangs out of his eyes and smiled. "Of course not."

Mika grinned back. "See?" She asked, turning to Shinji.

"Well…fine. But no more!" Shinji said sternly. "Come in, quickly!"

Mika grabbed Atsuki's wrist and dragged him into the house. Shinji shut and locked the door before leading his guests down to his room. His bedroom was small, and slightly messy. A computer sat on his desk on one wall, the bed in a corner across from the table. The computer desk also held a printer/scanner, but it was clean otherwise. A bag of chips sat on the left side of the keyboard for Shinji to eat, a soda can poised on a lower level so it wouldn't spill on the computer. It looked like Shinji took good care of his system. Though that wasn't a surprise. He relied on it for everything.

"So I've found that Organization." Shinji said. "Not the one that sent out those photos of me, but another one. They want to take over the city using something called a SILENT. I'm not sure what it is yet…"

Atsuki swallowed hard, but neither of his classmates noticed the action.

"But I know they have to be stopped." Shinji grinned widely. "I've got a program running to get in through their defenses and…"

His computer beeped, making the hacker look. "Yes!" He cheered, taking a seat.

Atsuki watched his fingers fly across the keyboard.

"Wow, look at all that data!" Mika commented. "How do you know what you need?"

"Any names and locations." Shinji said. "If you spot any, point them out."

"There!" Mika pointed. "I see 'Rui Yamase'! Delete her, quick!"

"I'm on it, I'm on it." Shinji replied. "Don't rush me, okay?"

"There's another! 'Nami Kamishiro'! And 'Yuhigaoka House'!" Mika pointed out. "Oh, I have to warn Yayoi!"

"No, I need help here!" Shinji informed, his eyes darting quickly over the computer as he typed rapidly.

"There's data! The school!" Mika pointed out. "How do we warn Yayoi, then? Ms. Matsumura! Why is she on here?!"

"I'll go warn Yayoi." Atsuki said. "All phone services were cut off by the mob."

"Shit." Shinji cursed. He looked at Atsuki over his shoulder, stopping his typing for a moment. "I guess you had better go warn her, then." He informed. "I have it covered here." He turned back to the computer and began typing.  
"Shinji…might I ask…why are you doing all this?" Atsuki wondered.

Shinji stopped typing.

"Shinji, the data! Oh god, Atsuki's on here too!"

Shinji deleted some more data and warranted a 'phew' from Mika.

"I'm doing this…" Shinji informed Atsuki, looking at him through the reflection on the computer screen. "To save my friends."

_I don't have any friends. I don't need them!_ Shinji's past words flowed through Atsuki's mind. He smiled. Shinji might have thought he didn't have any friends, but in that moment of need, he came through for the people he said he didn't need. He came through for the people he, deep down, did consider his friends. In that one moment, Atsuki felt something for Shinji that he hadn't felt for anyone in a long time, or ever thought he'd feel for Shinji of all people; complete and utter respect.


	8. Yayoi Kamishiro

Dlbn: Hey there, everyone, and welcome to another update of "First time For Everything"! We realize that it hasn't been a full week yet, but we figured we'd post this now! :D

Nbld: Let's start off with the Review Corner! Thank you to ThreadsToFeathers for reviewing! Pocky and Ramune both for you!

ThreadsToFeathers: There's no such thing as a useless review! I was happy to see it ^^ Aw glad to hear you liked it :D Yeah, Shinji really is a rude little brat sometimes. There really aren't many Lux Pain Fanfics on here, sadly :/ There's even less on Adult Fanfiction. The game doesn't get enough love.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own the characters of Lux Pain. They belong to Kilaware. I make NO money off of writing in this category.

~First Whisper~

Yayoi Kamishiro was the exact opposite of her little sister, Nami. Nami had a profound love of animals and was loud. Yayoi, on the other hand, had a strong desire for art and was very quiet. Atsuki could hardly hear her when she spoke sometimes, but then again, his SIGMA powers helped him know what she was thinking by simply reading her mind.

"I'm sorry, Saijo." She muttered to him. "I've been complaining again. That's not becoming of a young lady."

"It's okay." He responded, leaning in close. "No need to bottle everything up, right?"

She flushed bright red. "No…I-I guess there isn't…" She said.

"You know something else?"

"W-what is it?"

He winked and whispered; "You need to speak up a little more."

~First Marathon~

This was terrible! First Arthur Mays tried to kill himself by jumping off of Seagull roof, and now Yayoi was in danger? How much damage would SILENT do in this little city, anyway? It had been easy to find Arthur, because Natsuki had sensed his Shinen at Seagull. But she couldn't lock onto Yayoi's Shinen. That left Atsuki doing something he'd never thought he'd have to do; search for a target on his own without knowing where they could be. He'd run into Nami in a few different areas, but she wasn't having any luck either. All he'd been able to pick up was residual Shinen that told him that she was going to Nami's 'special place'. But even Nami had no idea what that had meant. Atsuki felt like he'd run all over the 6 areas of the city to find the older Kamishiro sister. In fact, he probably had. He was running out of breath, and running out of time. If he didn't find her soon, the infection would lead her to…no, he couldn't think like that. Hiding behind a building as officer Mako Ando passed by-he was playing hooky and couldn't risk being caught-Atsuki paused for a moment to catch his breath. This was insane! He felt like he was running a marathon, trying to find this girl. How many more laps would he have to do before he found her? After Mako passed by him, Atsuki darted out into the streets to get moving again. He couldn't stop for more then a second. Precious seconds were already wasted by hiding from Mako and trying to catch his breath no several occasions. Damn it, where was the soft-spoken artist?!

Atsuki stopped to rest near the Yuhigaoka House Park. He leaned his hands on his knees and panted heavily.

"This is ridiculous…" Atsuki panted. "Yayoi, where…"

A creaking sound cut him off he turned to see a redheaded girl sitting on the swing set. She didn't appear to be moving and was staring up at the sky.

"Damn." Atsuki muttered, before running over. "Yayoi!" He greeted.

She didn't answer him and settled for staring blankly up at the sky instead. Atsuki sighed. Was she too far gone? He was about to speak up again, but he was interrupted.

"It's all pointless, isn't it…?" Yayoi spoke. "My parents are gone…there will be no one left for Nami…but she can take care of herself, right? She doesn't need me…she'll be fine."

"She needs her big sister."

Once again, he was ignored. Atsuki sighed. There was no reasoning with her. SILENT had done too much damage. Gawain lit up on Atsuki's left hand. Black markings crawled up his arm until they made up 50 percent of the skin on his arms. His right eye glowed bright gold before the world around him turned to black and white. The world splintered like broken glass before it shattered completely. A grey-black creature with beady red eyes glared at Atsuki. It opened its mouth in a beast-like shriek. Atsuki moved his head to the side a grimaced, but it was the most response that he'd show the disgusting creature. The creature lashed out with a black tendril, but Atsuki quickly stepped to the side. The markings on his arm glowed and light shot from his fingertips. It blasted away at the creature; making it toss its head from side to side and cry out again and again. What felt hours passed by before the creature collapsed in a heap on the ground.

Without warning, Atsuki was projected back into the real world. Yayoi was still sitting on the swings. This time, however, she seemed more aware of his presence.

"Atsuki?" She wondered. "W-Why are you here?"

"Don't you remember anything?" Atsuki asked, out of breath.

"I remember coming here…and everything was so dark and grey…but then…nothing…" Tears began falling from her eyes. "I didn't know what to do!" She cried.

"Yayoi!" Nami cried, running over to her sister and the SIGMA user. "I'm so glad we found you!"

Atsuki slowly walked backwards from the two girls, trying to catch his breath as he did so.

"You alright, Atsuki?" Liu Yee wondered.

"Took too much out of me is all." Atsuki sighed.

"Do yourself a favor?" Liu Yee asked. "Don't sign up for a marathon any time soon, alright? You wouldn't survive."

Atsuki glared. "Shut up, Liu."

~First Advice~

Atsuki couldn't remember the last time he just took some time to himself and relaxed. That was why he liked this art class so much. Now that Arthur had made a full recovery and was back to teaching at Kisaragi, the class was more lively then ever. Yayoi even spoke up in class loud enough for everyone to hear her. Arthur had smiled when she first began speaking, before telling her that she was right. Now, Atsuki couldn't decide what to do for his painting. The first few weeks they'd been in the school, he'd just goofed off and used SIGMA to read other people's Shinen instead of working. But with Arthur back in the picture, there were actual assignments he had to do.

"Why haven't you started yet, Atsuki?" Yayoi wondered.

"I don't know what to paint." He responded.

"Just let the brush take you." She offered.

"What?"

"Pick a color, and begin painting." Yayoi said. "You may not know what you want to paint, but once you put the brush to paper and start moving it, you'll figure it out quickly. That's how I used to paint." She had a nostalgic look on her face for a moment. "Then Arthur showed me how to put my passions and my thoughts to paper. He said to go with the flow of things. If there was something on my mind, I should just paint it. Whenever I have a problem, I paint the problem. Like if Nami is causing trouble and I don't know what to do, I paint Nami and melody. Or I paint Rainbow Hill. That's my favorite scenery to paint."

She didn't say any more as she dipped her paintbrush into water and swirled it to clean it off for the next color she'd chose.

"What's in my mind, hm?" Atsuki wondered.

He dipped his paint brush into black paint and put it to paper. Before he knew it, he finished his painting.

"Wow, Saijo-kun." Arthur said from behind him.

Startled, Atsuki turned to see the blonde teacher looking at his work. Arthur's mouth was open wide, and his eyes were the size of plates. Was it really that bad? Atsuki turned back to his work to see what he'd done. Though it wasn't exactly grade-A work, it wasn't that bad. As Atsuki looked it over, his mouth dropped open in realization of what he'd painted. The painting was in all dark tones. It was of what looked like a storage closet. Atsuki flushed, recognizing it as the closet he'd cheated on Liu Yee in. But that was all that was familiar about that horrible day. There was a little girl holding a teddy bear in the middle of the room. A large, ominous, black shadow stretched out from behind the girl. There were specks of red on the floor and on the girl; blood. A broken heart pouring rivers of blood lay next to her. Underneath it in Gothic calligraphy, he had painted 'I'm sorry'. Atsuki recognized the little girl as his sister.

"Wow…Saijo…" Akira commented. "Who knew you could be so dark…"

Atsuki stood up quickly, knocking the stool over. It clattered to the floor as he muttered an apology.

"I have to go."

Without looking back, he ran from the classroom in humiliation. That was the last time he'd ever take advice from that girl.

~First Smile~

Atsuki hated seeing people suffer. He much preferred it when they were happy and full of life. A smile was a thousand times better then a frown. A laugh was better then a tear, a song was better then moping. That was why he decided to join FORT and help destroy SILENT. Without SILENT, people could be happy again. They could laugh and joke, and play games and tell stories. They could enjoy life as a rainbow of colors and emotions and experiences; not dull grey and bottomless loneliness. With every SILENT that he destroyed, and every piece of SILENT he destroyed in another person, more and more people would be liberated from its crushing grip. Atsuki had seen Kings and shopkeepers, children and teenagers, fall victim to SILENT. No one was immune. And the ones that he and the other members of FORT couldn't get to in time? Most unfortunately took their own lives, or led themselves into a situation in which death was the only escape. He'd seen people take knives to their own throats, and he'd seen them threaten police to the point where the officers had no choice but to take a shot and end their lives.

But he'd also seen the good. He'd seen people rescued from SILENT; either at the hands of himself or Liu Yee. He'd seen people who were miserable and lonely slowly begin to cheer and embrace life around them. People whose worlds had been dull and grey suddenly started seeing pops of color; until the world was bathed in the rich hues of the endless colors around them. Sure, not everyone could be saved; SILENT was just too numerous. But those who could were the greatest gift Atsuki could have ever hoped to receive.

The first time he saw Yayoi Kamishiro smile; he understood what exactly it was that he was fighting for.


	9. Ryo Unami

Dlbn: Hey there, everyone, and welcome to another overdue update!

Nbld: We almost forgot about this, to be honest. Bad authors, bad!

Dlbn: But we're here to remedy that with a new chapter!

Nbld: There will be no Review Corner this chapter, as there have been no reviews posted. So Let's not waste any more time, and get into the chapter, shall we? :D

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Atsuki Saijo, Ryo Unami, or any other character from the Lux Pain universe. I do not own Lux Pain, outside of a copy of the game. It belongs to Kilaware. I make NO money off of writing this work of non-canon fiction.

000

~First Neighbor~

Ryo Unami was your typical bookworm next door. He was always adjusting his glasses and had his nose in a book. He was friendly, although shy and reserved around those he didn't know. Atsuki had had the pleasure of figuring that out when he'd greeted the other boy happily and with a smile at school, and Ryo had only smiled in return before turning away. Atsuki hadn't thought the boy was being rude; he was just uncomfortable with people he did not know. Atsuki didn't need to read his Sigma in order to know that. But imagine his surprise when he found out that the bookworm owned a bookstore next door to his apartment complex. It was named Tohodo. After he'd gotten to know the silverette a little bit, Ryo had invited him to stop by the shop. But it had been a few days since the offer was given, and Atsuki had yet to go visit. He really didn't see a reason to, and he was often busy with work for FORT after school got out. It wasn't that he was _trying_ to avoid Ryo or Tohodo, he just couldn't find time after school, and he got done working way after Tohodo had closed. He'd get home at one am or later some nights.

One day before school, Atsuki found himself running into Ryo outside of Tohodo. Ryo smiled softly at him.

"Oh, hi, Saijo." He greeted.

"Hi, Ryo." Atsuki greeted. "Shouldn't you be heading to school?"

"My stuff is inside, and I'm locked out…" Ryo was flushing now. "I'm waiting for Handa to open the door for me, but I don't think she's noticed that I'm not inside."

"Do you want me to wait for you?"

"No, no, it might take a while. Besides, Ms. Aoi will give you a lecture if you're late to class."

"She'd lecture you, too." Atsuki argued.

"I know. But I'd rather have _me_ get lectured over something stupid I did then have you get lectured."

Atsuki was a bit taken back by that. "What?"

"I was stupid and locked myself out. I should have taken the key with me; knowing the lock system for this place…" Ryo sighed. "There's no need for you to get punished because I did something stupid and needed company." He stepped closer to the door and pounded on it. "Ms. Handa? Can you open the door!?" He called.

"Manager? Where are you?" A feminine voice called from inside.

"Finally!" Ryo commented. "I'm out back. I was taking out the trash and forgot to take a key. Can you let me in?"

"Again?" The door opened and a green haired girl pouted at Ryo. "That's the third time this month! You've got to start thinking!"

"I know, I'm sorry." Ryo said. He looked at Atsuki. "You go without me. I have a few more things to do."

"Okay." Atsuki nodded. "Don't be too late, now."

"I won't be." Ryo smiled. "Thanks for the talk, neighbor!"

Atsuki smiled slightly as Ryo disappeared inside with Handa. He may not be able to visit Tohodo like he wanted to, but just knowing Ryo was next door if he ever needed him was enough for Atsuki.

~First Visitor~

As Atsuki snuggled up under his blankets to try and get ready to go to sleep, he was disturbed by a knock on the front door of his apartment. He groaned and pulled a pillow over his head to block the sounds. Hopefully whoever it was would think he wasn't home or asleep and go away. Which brought another question to mind…who in the world was at his house at this hour? Atsuki looked at the clock from underneath the pillow. Midnight. Who the hell would want to talk to him at midnight? Liu Yee was first to come to mind, but he never went to Atsuki's apartment, and had a key to it anyway. Ray maybe? No, there was no reason for him to show up. Natsuki, perhaps? No, he would have gotten a call from Nola the _second_ she noticed that the younger girl was missing. Nola could be there…but she never left the computer lab and was analyzing information she'd stolen from hacking Shinji's computer. His mind shifted to Atai; coming over for a late night hookup or drunk and apologetic for ruining Atsuki's relationship. Atsuki shook away the thought as the knocking continued. He threw the pillow to the floor and kicked the blankets away. He stood, wincing as his bare feet hit the cold hardwood floors. He left his bedroom and walked down the hall to the living room, where the front door was. Whoever was at the door knocked harder.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Atsuki called angrily, running a hand through his silver hair. "have patience, damn it, it's the middle of the night!" He unlocked the door and flung it open. "This had _better_ be good…" The threat caught in his throat as he noticed who was on the other side.

"Sorry to come by so late…" Ryo said. "I was working late at the store, and it's too late to go home. My parents sleep like they're in comas, so they wouldn't let me in and I forgot my key. Sorry, but you were the closest person I know…er…"

"Come in." Atsuki stood to the side, still holding the door open.

"R-Really? Thank you." Ryo flushed as he walked into the apartment. "Nice place."

"Thanks." Atsuki said, closing the door behind the bluenette.

Ryo looked around. "Not much in here, is there?"

"Just the necessities." Atsuki shrugged. "I don't need anything else."

"Oh, okay." He said. "Um…no pictures…?"

"Of who?"

"Anyone."

"None."

"Your parents?"

"No."

"Friends from your home town."

"I don't have any."

"Really?"

Atsuki shrugged. "I haven't lived in my hometown in years." He informed. "Since I was six."

"Why'd you leave?"

Atsuki blinked. "I'm tired, Ryo." He informed. "I don't have a guest room, so go crash in my room." Atsuki pointed. "End of the hall."

"Where are you going to sleep?"

"Couch." Atsuki yawned, walking to a closet. He pulled it open and grabbed a spare blanket and pillow. "It pulls out into a bed. Futon." He shut the closet. "Good night, Ryo."

"Oh…um…goodnight, Atsuki…" Ryo sleepily rubbed at his left eye. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Atsuki watched the other boy leave down the hall. Once the door to Atsuki's room was shut, he walked over to the couch and flopped down; not wanting to bother pulling the bed out.

He liked being alone a lot better at night, considering the nightmares he tended to have. He didn't want to wake up Ryo by screaming in his sleep and worry him. But he'd have to grin and bear it for the night.

When Atsuki awoke the next morning after a full night's sleep without a single nightmare, he decided that having visitors I the middle of the night once and a while wasn't a bad idea.

~First Book~

Atsuki sighed as Ryo piled book after book onto his lap.

"Oh, this one you might find fascinating!" Ryo informed happily. "It's all about psychology and manipulating emotions. Since you're good with people, I thought you might like it." He threw a book onto the pile. "Oh! This one is a rare one about Kisaragi City! Since you're going to be in town for a while, I thought maybe you'd like to know more about the place, you know?"

"Um…Ryo…" Atsuki tried to object. "Too many…"

"And this one here is about Od. Oh! I should give it to Mr. Takano. He'd love it." Ryo put a book on the coffee table. "You know, I peg you for a fantasy kind of guy, right? Here's one about three witches looking to fit in at a school full of normal teens, while keeping their secret. There's a lot of magic in it. I think you'd like it."

"Ryo, please, stop…" Atsuki caught the book that was sent his way.

When he moved, the pile of books on his lap toppled to the floor. Ryo heard the commotion and turned. His eyes were wide as dinner plates. Atsuki was still leaning over the side of the couch to catch the book that had been thrown at him last. He held it in his hand, but it was the only book he'd managed to catch.

"Uh…heh, heh…" He laughed nervously. "I saved one…"

Ryo held his forehead in his palm. "I gave you too many, didn't I…?"

Atsuki nodded slowly. Ryo sighed.

"Sorry. I get overzealous when it comes to books sometimes, you know?"

"Yeah, I get it."

He really didn't. Atsuki helped pick up the fallen books. "I can't carry this many anyway, you know…"

"I know." Ryo sighed. "Just get the ones you want most, I guess."

"I'll just take the one I caught…"

"Okay…"

As Atsuki walked up the stairs to his apartment, he decided that books…just weren't his thing.

~First Hug~

After Yamato held up the school at gun point, and was taken down by a combination of Atsuki's Sigma and Hibiki Kiryu, everyone had been acting strangely. Ryo, apparently, was no exception. Hibiki had been shot in the arm during the incident and rushed to the hospital; though he vehemently claimed he didn't actually _need_ to go. Ryo had stalked off to the school library on his own, but Atsuki had followed. The others were shaken up, yes, but the Shinen radiating off of Ryo was too intense to ignore.

"Are you alright, Ryo?" Atsuki questioned the book worm.

"Yeah…I'm…I'm okay…" Ryo replied, sitting down at a table. "I just…Hibiki…"

"He's fine." Atsuki shrugged one shoulder. "It was just a flesh wound."

"I know but…God, just rushing into there like that and just snatching the gun away?" Ryo shook his head. "He just got back, and he's acting like he wants to leave again."

"You think he was being suicidal?" Atsuki couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Trust me, Ryo, that wasn't the reason he ran into there like that."

"What do you think it was then?"

"He saw you." Atsuki answered. "He saw that you were in danger, and he wanted to do something about it…"

"Well…we're friends, yeah, but why bother do something like that so recklessly? Why not just go for help somewhere? Call 911 or something instead?"

"He wasn't thinking."

"Yeah, I gathered that." Ryo glared at him. "But still, I mean…"

"He likes you, dumbass."

Ryo looked surprised. "What?" He flushed pink under his eyes. "We're friends, so he must like me on some level. I mean, otherwise he wouldn't bother to…"

"Do you like Akira?"

"Huh?" Ryo wondered.

"Answer my question."

"We're friends."

"Do you like me?"

"We're friends." Ryo insisted. "Where are you…?"

"Do you like Shinji?"

"We're _friends_." Ryo repeated himself again.

"Do you like Hibiki?"

"Yea."

"Why'd you answer differently to that?"

"You weren't responding to my other statement."

Atsuki rolled his eyes. "You're hiding the obvious."

"What's obvious?"

"You like Hibiki…"

"We're friends."

"The way Mika likes Akira."

Ryo didn't react to that.

"You know what I'm trying to say, don't you?"

"No, I don't." Ryo's flush gave him away as much as the love Shinen coursing up to his head gave him away.

"Hibiki has a crush on you, smart one, and you feel the same for him." Atsuki informed. "Trust me, I understand the whole falling for your best friend thing, okay? I've been there before, and…"

"We're both guys…" Ryo informed. "People won't react well to that."

"Who cares?" Atsuki scratched his neck. "If you like someone, then screw what everyone else says and go for it. You know, as well as I do, that he feels the same way. So he'll react positively. I mean, he's more likely to say yes to a date or going out with you if you ask. Why not try for something when you're sure of the result of it?"

Ryo just blinked at him, standing up. Atsuki cocked his head to the side a little as curiosity spread through him.

"What are you doing?" he took a step back.

He didn't think Ryo had it in him to hit him, but when you poke at the right nerves, people could do some out of character…

Atsuki pulled back a bit as Ryo's arms wrapped around his upper arms. He blinked nervously and patted the spectacled male on the back.

"Thank you, Atsuki…" Ryo pulled back and kissed his cheek . "I have to go talk to Hibiki."

He took off running. Atsuki blinked. So Ryo was happy that Atsuki basically berated him into admitting his feelings to Hibiki? Atsuki chuckled a little as he turned to leave the library. He couldn't remember the last time someone hugged him.

~First Thanks~

The day after the hostage situation at Kisaragi High School was one of the most awkward days Atsuki had ever known. There was no teacher to replace Yamato yet, so math class was canceled until further notice. Sure, it freed up everyone to go to the cafeteria for longer then usual, but it also left the victims speechless. The table they were occupying in the cafeteria was deadly silent. They were all staring blankly at either the table or one another. Atsuki joined them, taking a seat between Akira and Yui.

"I hope Hibiki and Akira are okay." Mika muttered.

"They will be. They were just flesh wounds." Atsuki informed.

No one spoke for a while.

"You didn't seem too frightened." Yayoi told Atsuki. "Is this stuff normal for you, Atsuki?"

"Not funny, Yayoi." Mika told her. "We're all traumatized."

"Sorry…" Yayoi muttered softly.

"I don't, Yayoi, but I'll be fine." Atsuki said. "There's no need in freaking out over this. It'll only cause too much stress."

"Ms. Honoka is stressed." Shinji informed. "She's really worried about Hibiki. She snapped at me in the office earlier when I was complaining of a headache."

"_You're_ in pain?" Mika glared at the hacker. "What about Hibiki and Akira, huh? They were both _shot_!"

Shinji didn't respond, and instead turned his attention to a stain on the table.

"Just in the shoulder." Atsuki informed. "They'll be fine, Mika."

She flushed and looked away.

"Oh, it's Ryo…" Yayoi spoke softly.

"Hey everyone…" Ryo greeted. "Um…Atsuki? May I talk to you alone, please?"

"Sure." Atsuki stood. "Be right back."

He followed Ryo out into the hallway. "What is it?" The Sigma user wondered.

"About yesterday?" Ryo asked. "Um…I talked to Hibiki."

"And?"

Ryo broke into a huge grin and Atsuki laughed in response. "A good response, I take it?"

"We're going to Sweet Ring on a date when he gets out of the hospital."

"Congratulations."

"Now all we need is for you to ask out Akira and we're all set."

"W-What?" Atsuki wondered.

"You like Akira like I like Hibiki."

Atsuki flushed. "No fair using my analogy against me…"

"So you do?"

Atsuki gave him a look. Ryo laughed at him. "He asked about you, you know. Akira? I stopped in to see him after I spoke with Hibiki and got kicked out of his room."

"He did?"

"He wanted to know if you were okay. He noticed your lack of reaction to the incident."

Atsuki didn't respond.

"So…I just wanted to thank you." Ryo informed. "If you hadn't talked to me about it like you did, I never would have mentioned anything to Hibiki and…"

"Um…you're welcome…" Atsuki responded.

Ryo smiled. "I'm hungry. I'm going to go and get something to eat. See you later." He walked down the hallway and turned around, waving. "Thanks again!"

Atsuki smiled. No one had ever thanked him before. He liked the rare sentence being directed at him for once.


	10. Mika Nozaki

Dlbn: Hey there, everyone, and welcome to another chapter!

Nbld: We're starting to get back into the once a week thing with all our fics, so we're going to include "First Time for Everything" in our 'To Do' list; where it belongs!

Dlbn: Plus, we think our lack of inspiration is finally gone, so that helps ^^

Nbld: Well, Ms. Motivated, let's go!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Mika Nozaki, Atsuki Saijo, or any other character from Lux Pain. I make NO money from writing in this category.

000

~First Scandal~

Atsuki could say for sure that there were only a few things in the world that confused him completely; Interactions with humans outside of FORT, and females. It wasn't that he was sexist or anything, but, being a male, he related to guys more. Natsuki and Nola were the only girls he could handle, really. Most women in the cities he'd visited either fell in love with him or despised him. Most of the time, it was despised. But no one confused him more then Mika Nozaki. She was brash and energetic all at the same time. She often complained that she was tired, but yet she kept running around everywhere instead of walking like everyone else, or sitting and resting once and a while. He often heard that she was, or caught her doing so himself, skipping classes for 'work purposes'. He wondered how she was passing, but remembered that Yui had said she only had a 'D' or so. Well, it was better then failing.

But nothing she had ever done in his stay at Kisaragi confused him more then on his first day of school. Yui had been showing him around the school that day, as per Ms. Matsumura's requests earlier. Mika had run up to them both, out of breath.

"Oh my God!" She greeted. "Are you two dating?!"

"What?" Atsuki wondered, taking a step back.

"What the hell, Mika?" Yui had yelled, punching her arm.

"Oh!" Mika complained, rubbing her shoulder. "Why would you punch me like that, Yui? I was just joking! God!"

"Why would you make that stuff up? That's how scandals start up!" Yui folded her arms and looked at Mika over her glasses with a scolding gaze. "Think before you speak!"

"Sorry, sorry! Just trying to be funny." Mika looked at her with one eye shut.

"Well, it wasn't funny." She looked at Atsuki. "Sorry, Saijo. She's always this weird."

"Um…" Atsuki started to speak, but the blue haired ball of energy broke in.

"Who are you calling _weird_, Yui?!" She scowled. "What is wrong with you today?"

"That's it, you're done!" Yui formed a fist. "I swear, I'm going to punch you again."

"Oh, please, don't! Bye Saijo!" Mika took off.

"Hey, get back here!" Yui didn't even acknowledge him as she ran after Mika.

Atsuki sighed. He might as well go back to the Computer Lab to read Shinen on the computers while he had free time.

"Hey, new kid!" A boy in the hallway called to Atsuki. "Going out with Yui, I hear?"

"No, I'm not…"

"Haha lucky you, man." The kid laughed and patted Atsuki on the back before running off to join friends.

Atsuki spent the rest of the day being confronted by random students, asking if he was dating Yui. Of course, he always said no, but no one listened until Yui threatened all of them to get them to stop bothering him. No matter how much he thought about it, Atsuki still had no idea why Mika had started that stupid scandal in the first place.

~First Photo~

The second most confusing thing Mika had ever done came in the middle of Atsuki's stay in Kisaragi. She had run up to him right before lunch one day out of the blue.

"Hey, Atsuki, guess what!" She greeted.

"Yeah, Mika?" He asked her. "What is it?"

"Cheese!"

"What the…"

Before Atsuki knew it, there was a bright light that blinded him for a few moments. When he got his vision back, he noticed that Mika was missing. Thinking nothing of it, he merely went on his way. But he finally understood what she had done when he got to lunch later in the day. Everyone was cluttered around the bulletin board, staring at something. Atsuki joined them and found a poster with photos of different guys at the school, and numerical rankings of how 'dateable' they were. His cheeks flushed as he saw a picture of himself from the hallway, with a little red 10 at the bottom, and a rainbow over it. He looked at the key written on the poster for a rainbow. 'Sexuality undetermined.' People noticed him and snickered before going back to the list. Atsuki spotted Mika on the other side of the cafeteria. There was no mistaking that blue hair.

"Mika!" He snarled at her.

She caught his look and smiled nervously. "It was Shinji's idea!"

"No it wasn't!" The computer whiz argued.

Atsuki began to walk in her direction, but Mika ran off. He growled and chased her down the hall to try and steal her camera. That was the last time he let anyone that owned a camera put it anywhere near him.

~First Rescue~

Atsuki didn't know what to think when he heard that the killer was out and about again. He knew that the killer had gone after Mika a year ago. It was possible that he was going after her again because she knew his face. However, she'd forgotten his face due to a sort of amnesia that had stemmed from the trauma of the event. It wasn't possible for the killer to know that, however.

"Mako!" Mika's voice screeched.

Atsuki heard the name and knew instantly that she was in trouble. He ran to where the voice had come from, only to hear Mika sobbing heavily. Someone was definitely injured or at least Mika was terrified. Atsuki skid to a stop on the scene. Mako was on the ground, bleeding, with Mika on her knees next to her; trying to stop the blood flow. A cop that Atsuki recognized as Lieutenant Tanaka was standing there with a bloody knife. He looked ready to attack again.

"I'll show you not to get in my way!" He snarled, lunging for Mika.

Atsuki ran forward and yanked the lieutenant away from her by the collar.

"Atsuki!" Mika greeted. "He has a knife, be careful!"

"I'll be fine!" Atsuki consoled her. "Don't worry about me."

"You stupid brat!" Tanaka lunged again.

Atsuki side stepped the man. "You're a police lieutenant. How could you be doing this to the people you swore to protect?" He wondered.

"Shut up! You couldn't possibly understand!" Tanaka attacked again.

Atsuki felt Gawain pulse and activated it. The world shattered in pieces of white, and he found himself in a dark location. A spidery black creature stood in front of him, sitting on a blackened web that was dripping ooze. The creature had six red eyes altogether, three on each side of its head. When it opened its mouth to roar, black saliva flew towards Atsuki. He sidestepped it as the creature's roar increased in volume. Atsuki sighed and pulled a dagger from his boot. The creature continued roaring, spitting black ooze everywhere. Atsuki backed away slightly and tried to run at the creature's side, but it spotted him with its many eyes and slashed a five foot tail at him. Atsuki jumped over the offending appendage, wondering why the hell a spider Silent had a tail like that. When he began to fall form gravity, he took aim and plunged the dagger deep into the creature. It thrashed about and roared loudly. Atsuki stumbled back out of the way in time for one leg to shoot a dark web at him. He slashed through it with his dagger, making the web hit somewhere behind him. He smirked at the creature and cut off the leg that had shot the web with his dagger. The leg flailed around and spurted black ooze from it. The creature roared in pain and tried to use its tail again, but Atsuki jumped over it and stabbed through the beast's head. It began thrashing about wildly, but then its motions began to slow down until they stopped.

All at once, the world snapped together. Mika was kneeling on the ground with the bleeding Mako, and Lieutenant Tanaka was stumbling about. His eyes were wide and vacant. He still held the knife in his hand, but it cluttered to the ground with a metallic clang after a few moments. Atsuki saw Liu Yee emerged onto the scene from his peripheral vision and turned his attention to the bleeding officer.

"Mako, no, don't leave me!" Mika cried. "Atsuki, do something! She passed out!"

Atsuki moved Mika out of his way and felt the officer for a pulse. Finding a very weak one, he began performing CPR as an ambulance's sirens raced towards the scene. Atsuki tried to help her breathe using mouth to mouth, but it wasn't doing any good.

"Atsuki-kun, there's no hope." Liu Yee said. "She's as good as gone."

Mika glared at him, eyes watery.

"Not…if…I…have anything…to say…about…it…" Atsuki continued his CPR, only stopping when a Medic pulled him away.

Mika latched onto Atsuki as soon as she could, burying her weeping face into his shirt. "Mako…" She cried.

Unsure of what to do, Atsuki merely rubbed her back to comfort her.

"Th-Thank you for the rescue…Atsuki…" Mika muttered.

Atsuki nodded, holding the girl close. The only thing that mattered right now was stopping her tears.

~First Dragging~

Atsuki wasn't very used to people touching him outside of those he worked with at FORT. Due to this fact, he couldn't help but let out a surprised squeak as Mika Nozaki grabbed him by the arm to drag him to the home of Shinji Naruse.

~First Joke~

As Mika walked with Atsuki to the school cafeteria, he tried to drown out the journalist's voice. She was talking about her latest scoop, one that had nothing to do with his mission and was therefore useless information.

"So what do you think?" She wondered.

"I guess it sounds alright to me." He shrugged one shoulder.

She grinned. "Great! I'll tell him for you, if you don't want to."

"Tell who what?"

"Were you not listening to me?" She puffed out her cheeks as she glared at him. "I _asked_ you if you liked Akira, you idiot."

"Liked him?" Atsuki's eyes widened and he flushed. "N-No way…we're just friends…"

"I'm sure he wouldn't care if you did. I just think he should know."

"I don't have a crush on Akira, if that's what you are asking me, Nozaki." He wasn't in the mood to call her by her first name.

"Oh come _on_. You can be real with me."

Atsuki glared.

"Tell me now before I just announce it to the whole cafeteria." She winked at him.

"I don't have…"

"Bull…"

He rolled his eyes. "Sure, Mika, I love him with every fiber of my being and wish I was a woman so I could bear his children."

"Well…he might be creeped out by _that_…" She flushed and picked up the pace.

"Wait, Mika, I was kidding!" Atsuki chased after her. "I didn't really mean that, Mika."

He then decided that he would never joke with her again. She obviously didn't understand sarcasm.


	11. Hibiki Kiryu

Dlbn: Hey everyone! So sorry we're late! No, we haven't forgotten about this story, in case you were wondering! I had this chapter written down a while ago but couldn't find it.

Nbld: And then things got crazy and convention season started.

Dlbn: Not to mention, I met Greg Ayres. The guy who voices Shinji! He has purple hair like Shinji, too, and says he is always excited to meet Lux Pain fans because there are so few of us. That made my con. 3 He was in a rush, so I could only shake his hand, but next year I'll be sure to go to the autograph session! I'm thinking of going as Shinji or Atsuki that year hehe

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Lux Pain or any characters from it. They belong to Kilaware.

~First Brother~

Hibiki Kiryu was one of the strangest people Atsuki had ever met, and he'd met a lot of people in his time of work. The cyan haired youth was shy and reserved like Atsuki, but carefree and bubbly like Mika sometimes, as well. He spoke several different languages, like Atsuki, and loved martial arts like Akira. He could walk amongst the shadows like Liu Yee, but could socialize like Rui. The teen had spent most of his high school career out of the country, traveling Europe. He liked music and reading, as well as video games and stalking (He called it learning by observation of unknowing participants). He and Atsuki were both seventeen, roughly the same height, and of pale complexion. They were so similar, and even had similar backgrounds, and Atsuki wasn't the only one who had caught onto the similarities.

"We're a lot alike, you know. You and me." Hibiki said, looking to the night sky as wind tussled his hair. "Have you noticed?" He spoke in Japanese, Atsuki's native tongue.

"I have." Atsuki dully replied, using Japanese as well.

"Even our histories are similar. We two orphans; raised and guided by a caring adult who once happened to cross our paths. We two travelers without a permanent home; cursed to wander forever. Us victims of SILENT, forced to wander in darkness, trying to repel it at all costs."

"SILENT?" Hibiki knew about SILENT? "But how…?"

"I know who you are, hero of Shanghai." Hibiki finally looked at him again. "You're a member of FORT's team FALCO; the field operatives."

"And what does that make you?" Atsuki reached for the expandable staff he kept in his jeans pocket.

"A kindred spirit. SILENT took my family as well. I was brought on as a member of PHALANX, but I left. PHALANX has gone insane, and I refuse to be a part of it." Hibiki smiled sadly. "We may have been rivals by occupation at one point, but we aren't that different. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Perhaps, if what you're saying is true."

"I'll prove it."

Hibiki's eyes dilated as he stared at Atsuki. The silverette felt pressure against his skill, as though he were using it to lift weights that were too heavy for him to handle. The pressure began to fade and gave way to a pins and needles feeling, as one would get from a foot falling asleep and waking up as one walked on it. Atsuki's mind tuned out of the world around him as memories played in his mind. He was a child again, seeing the bloodshed that occurred from the slaughter of his family. Seeing the blood and bodies, and feeling the hate and the evil, was too much. The second he collapsed to his knees, the vision died and the feeling in his mind vanished with only a little bit of pressure. Atsuki felt wetness traveling down his face, but Hibiki knelt down next to him and wiped it away before Atsuki could do it himself.

"Do you believe me now?" The cyan haired boy whispered.

"Y-Yes…" Atsuki nodded.

"We have a link. Akira can't understand you and Ryo can't understand me like we can understand each other." Hibiki smiled. "We're like brothers."

Atsuki smiled. "Brothers…"

He'd never tell Hibiki, but it felt nice to have a sibling again; even if it was just a fantasy.

~First Hookup~

As Hibiki droned on and on to the other telepath about Ryo Unami, Atsuki yawned. The same topic came up quite often, and was rather redundant.

"For how much you talk about him, it's like you're in love with him or something." The silverette piped up.

Hibiki instantly stopped talking. "I-Is it that obvious, brother?" He asked meekly. "Do you think he knows, too?"

"Not at all. Trust me." Atsuki blinked. "You're a telepath. Why not just read his mind?"

"I made a vow to myself. I only use it in emergencies. Otherwise, cheating would be too tempting."

"Admirable. But in this case, I'd use it."

"Do you use it to see if Liu Yee still has feelings for you?"

"That ship sailed the day I went into the storage room with Atai…" Atsuki sneered at the memory.

"So, you think Ryo likes me too?"

"Let's just say I have a feeling you'll find out soon."

Two days later, when he caught Ryo and Hibiki going at it behind the school, Atsuki knew his little hookup had gone just as planned…now his 'brother' could talk someone else's ear off.

~First Rival~

Aoi Matsumura, the English teacher, gawked at the sheet of paper in her hand. It had the class scores for the recent placement exams for the junior class listings for advanced classes.

"I don't believe this." She sad. "There's only a one point difference in the scores of the top two students."

The class began murmuring.

"Who are the top two?" Mika wondered, taking out a notebook to jot down a new scoop.

"O-Our top three a-are…"

"Just the top two, miss!" Shinji corrected.

"Well, in no certain order, it's…it's Kiryu and Saijo…"

People stared at the two telepaths, who sat next to each other.

"A-And Unami is third…"

"Hey, looks like we have something else in common, hm, brother?" Hibiki playfully elbowed Atsuki.

"Yeah." Atsuki smiled.

Now they weren't just brothers. They were rivals.

~First Challenge~

Atsuki glared at the cyan haired telepath standing in front of him. Hibiki had his arms folded across his chest and looked rather determined. Although Atsuki had sealed his mind off from Hibiki, the slightly shorter male seemed to still think he knew Atsuki better then Atsuki knew himself.

"You're just chicken!" Hibiki taunted. "Tell Akira how you really feel, before _I_ have to tell him!"

"You think I'm afraid or something?" Atsuki laughed. "I'll have you know that I do not have romantic feelings for Akira. I never have and I never will, so back off."

"Prove it." Hibiki laughed. "If you really don't care about him, then show him a challenge. When he gets nice and flirty, push back."

"Challenge accepted." Atsuki smirked.

Little did he know that accepting that challenge and beating it would be a _lot_ harder then he thought. Damn Hibiki…he was always right.

~First Tie~

It wasn't that hard to understand, but it wasn't exactly easy to figure out. If there was one thing that bonded Atsuki and Hibiki as brothers besides their similar backgrounds and powers, it would be that neither liked to lose a debate. And like true brothers, their favorite person to debate with was each other.

"No, think about it. a dog SILENT would _have_ to be more powerful then a spider SILENT." Hibiki stated, munching on cake from Sweet Ring. "They're bigger."

"You would think that was the case, yeah." Atsuki nodded. "But it really isn't. Trust me, I fight the damn things all the time. A spider is the most powerful SILENT there is."

"But it's not even that big!" Hibiki flailed his arms, making people look. "Therefore, it _can't_ be as powerful."

"I've never even _seen_ a dog SILENT. All I see are spiders and other insects."

"Have you ever seen one that flies?"

"Of course." Atsuki nodded. "Winged ones, like dragonflies."

"There are dragonfly SILENT? No way."

"Like I said, spiders and other insects."

"Spiders are arachnids, not insects."

"Same family." Atsuki shrugged.

"Oh, no, not at all! Insects have six legs, but arachnids have eight."

"They're the same thing to me. Especially when it comes to SILENT."

"But you're wrong."

"It doesn't matter if I am scientifically. I bet anyone in here would think a spider is an insect."

"Ha!" Hibiki had to laugh at that one. "There's no _way_ anyone would be stupid enough to believe that."

"Oh, so I'm stupid now?"

"No, only people who…oh…yeah, I guess you are." Hibiki stuck out his tongue.

"You're serious right now?" Atsuki smirked. "Alright, tough guy, let's see who here is _really_ the smartest out of us. And I'm not talking about random facts."

"So what do you want us to debate? If it's anything about FORT, I automatically lose."

"How about stuff about Kisaragi?" Atsuki wondered. "I know enough from reading Shinen, and you lived here for a while, right? So we're even."

"Fine. You start." Hibiki stated.

"Naw, I have a better idea." Atsuki waved at Akira, who now worked at the cake shop. "Hey, Akira! Come here for a second!"

Akira trotted over without a second though. "What is it, Atsuki?" He wondered. "You want more cake?"

"No, I'm good on that." Atsuki waved off the question. "You're lived here your whole life, yeah?"

"Yeah…so?"

"Help Hibiki and I settle a debate on who's the smarter one here, okay?"

"Sure…"

"Just ask us some questions about Kisaragi, and whoever gets the most right, wins. Alright?" He looked to Hibiki. "And _no_ cheating." He winked, hinting at their secret powers.

"Alright, alright." Hibiki nodded. "Go ahead, Akira. Ask anything. Start with Atsuki, since this is his idea."

"Alright, but I can't do this long. Best out of five, alright?"

"Sure." Hibiki and Atsuki nodded.

"Alright, then. Atsuki. I'll start you both off easy." Akira smiled at the silverette. "I'll describe a person and you have to guess who it is, okay?"

"Sounds good to me."

"Okay. So, this person is a student at Kisaragi. It's a guy who lives in Area seven. Guess."

"Not very helpful…" Atsuki sighed. "But the only person I know over there is Shinji…"

"You got it." Akira smiled, then looked to Hibiki. "Hibiki, same type of question. This is a teacher at Kisaragi who always used to run around with a strange machine. Who is it?"

"Used to, hm?" Hibiki tapped his chin with a finger. "That wouldn't be Mr. Takano, would it?"

The poor man had been murdered for information he had stumbled upon. His body was found floating in the river.

"Yeah." Akira nodded. "Next question…"  
It wasn't until about 30 questions later that Atsuki realized there would be no winner. When it came to knowledge about Kisaragi and its residents, he and Hibiki were simply evenly matched.

~First Hideout~

With Graham Miller's announcement of all those in Kisaragi with 'special powers' needing to be found and killed, the city was in chaos. People blamed these individuals for the problems occurring in the town; the dark cloud that had settled over everyone's hearts and minds. Working alongside Hibiki, Atsuki managed to get all of his friends-including the telepaths-into safety. They held up in Yuzi; an internet café that Nola had recently rented out for her own usage. Everyone sat together in the basement of the building to try and hold out until the rampage above ground and ceased. Nola sat with a crying Nami and a shaking Yayoi to comfort them as Atsuki did a head count. Yayoi, Nami, Melody Akira, Ryo, Shinji, Mika, Yui, Rui, Aya, Nola, Hibiki, Liu Yee, Natsuki, Aoi, nurse Honoka, and Atsuki himself were all safe and sound underground. They couldn't stay there forever, but just long enough or the chaos to die down a bit so they would all be safe outside. He felt Hibiki's hand that wasn't occupied with Ryo's hand grab onto his.

"Brother?" Hibiki wondered softly. "How long must we stay down here?"

"It could take anywhere from hours to days for everything to be settled." Atsuki replied. "Ray said to wait here until the chaos died down, then he'd call us to come out."

"We know who they're after." Shinji pointed out. "Their list I found says Yui, Nami, Hibiki, and Atsuki are all targets for the mob."

"But why?" Wondered Yayoi softly. "What could they possibly have done?"

"Nothing, we did nothing!" Nami sobbed. "Oh, the poor animals up there must be frightened!"

Atsuki sighed and squeezed Hibiki's hand. "We'll be out of here soon. We won't have to hide forever."

"For now, let's play a game to get our minds off of it." Hibiki grinned. "How about truth or dare?"

"I don't think anyone is in the moon, Kiryu." Nurse Honoka stated. "Why don't you play with Atsuki and Ryo so the rest of us can be mature and figure out what to do."

"Hey, I _am_ being mature!" Hibiki sneered, before smiling at Atsuki. "Want to play?"

"We're here to hide, not play games." Atsuki informed.

Hibiki glared, making Atsuki sigh. There was no way time here would pass by quickly, with Hibiki's silly, pointless games. This hiding thing just wasn't for him.


End file.
